Mumbai: The amount spent by the Central Hajj Committee for the services of Hajj pilgrims is earned through interest, hence should immediately be banned. This sensational allegation was made by Maharashtra Hajj Committee Chairman Jamal Siddiqui. Speaking to presspersons he said 3200 crore rupees of the Central Hajj Committee have been deposited in various banks in the form of fixed deposits. The annual interest earned from the fixed deposits is used by the Committee to run its affairs, including payment of salaries of the employees and meeting other expenses.
An Urdu newspaper with reference to UNI reported that Jamal Siddiqui told that the annual budget of Central Hajj Committee is 7 crore and it gets 7 to 27 crore rupees from banks as interest. This amount is spent on organising the orientation camps for hajj aspirants and also on the travelling expenses of pilgrims.
Mr Jamal said interest is forbidden in Islam hence its usage for the holy pilgrimage must immediately be stopped. He suggested that instead, the Hajj Committee purchase the residential places in Makkah and Madina with the amount which can be used for accommodating pilgrims, thus saving rent charges. It can also become a source of income for the Hajj Committee. He has sent letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and minister for minority welfare Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in this connection.