Bareilly: In wake of the new fare chart fleshed out by the Central Haj Committee, a proposal which requires kids aged two and above to buy half ticket for pilgrimage, has sparked a protest. Bareilly Haj Sewa Samiti has written UP and Central Haj Committee on Saturday in regard to the aforementioned development, demanding its revocation.
Till now, toddlers up to the age of five were not required to buy tickets.
According to reports, the Bareilly Haj Sewa Committee president and Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Baheri Atta-ur-Rehman said the refurbishment has been done in order to deter women from going on the pilgrimage. Further, as children below the age of five generally take to their mothers’ laps; buying tickets for them was pointless.
Besides, the overhauled fare chart also demands that children aged less than two years will have to pay 10% of the total amount spent for to and fro journey for Haj.
Rehman, further, shed light on the situations that might unfold in case the newfangled proposal doesn’t change. He said women might not opt for the pilgrimage owing to an increase in expenses. Furthermore, mothers wouldn’t be ready to leave their toddlers back at home thus making the situation unfavourable for them.
As alleged by the SP leader, the decision has been taken by the Central Haj Committee in wake of an order passed by the Union Government in order to stop women from going on Haj.
The Haj Sewa Committee is in talks with Chief Minister Akhislesh Yadav on the same and has asked for its reversal. The committee will take to streets in case the authorities fail to take steps to annul the decision of the Central Haj Committee.
