Date:31/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/31/stories/2008103154160500.htm

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First Haj flight cancelled

Special Correspondent

Mayawati blames Centre

295 Haj pilgrims did not receive their visas and passports till departure time
The flight was scheduled to take off at 1 p.m. on Thursday

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati lashed out at the United Progressive Alliance government on Thursday for its mismanagement of the Central Haj Committee, which resulted in 295 Haj pilgrims being unable to board the inaugural flight to Madina in Saudi Arabia for the annual pilgrimage.

The first Haj flight was scheduled to take off at 1 p.m. and the second at 8 p.m. on Thursday. Each flight was to carry 295 pilgrims. But 90 pilgrims in the first flight and 200 in the second had not received their visas and passports till the date of the departure.

Consequently, the 1 p.m. flight was cancelled, but the Central Haj Committee did not inform the U.P. Haj Committee about this.

Minister’s charge

The Chairman of U.P. Haj Committee and PWD Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui said at a separate press conference that the passport and visa issue was brought to the notice of the Central Haj Committee on October 28.

The Chief Minister told reporters that the State government was doing its best to provide all facilities to the pilgrims. She held the Centre responsible for the plight of those who missed the inaugural Haj flight from Lucknow’s Amausi airport. It indicated that the Centre was not taking the issue of U.P. Haj pilgrims seriously.

North Indian issue

The Chief Minister also attacked the Congress government in Maharashtra for its failure to control the organised violence against people from the north Indian States. The silence of the Centre and the Maharashtra government was perplexing. Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar were merely providing lip sympathy to the victims, she said.