Hassan Cheruppa

Saudi Gazette

 

JEDDAH – Minister of Haj Bandar Hajjar underscored the need to further strengthen the excellent bilateral relations between the Kingdom and India. The minister made the remarks while receiving the Indian Haj goodwill delegation, headed by Arif Baig, at his office in Jeddah on Tuesday. Hajjar has accepted an invitation extended by the delegation to visit India.



Baig said the new government in India is looking forward to further boost bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states. He congratulated the Saudi authorities for providing the best ever services and facilities to the pilgrims, especially the ongoing largest ever expansion of the Two Holy Mosques.



During the talks that lasted more than half an hour, the delegation demanded an increase in quota of Indian pilgrims. The reception was also attended by Abdul Rashid Ansari, the lone member of the delegation, Indian Ambassador Hamid Ali Rao, Consul General B.S. Mubarak, Deputy Consul General and Haj Consul Sheikh Md. Noor Rahman and Mohammed Raghib Qureshi, consul education and head of chancery.



Baig is a former central minister and leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party from Madhya Pradesh state, while Ansari, who hails from Delhi, is the president of the party’s minority wing.



Until  two years ago, India was sending a jumbo goodwill delegations for Haj every year. Due to the intervention of Supreme Court, the delegation has been reduced to two in 2012 from 75 in the previous year.



In 2013, the then Indian health minister  Ghulam Nabi Azad was the delegation head, in which Rao was the lone member. All the 1,36,020 Indian Haj pilgrims have reached Saudi Arabia with the last flight carrying 394 pilgrims from Mumbai arriving on Monday, said Mubarak.