New Delhi

Saudi Arabia has not cancelled 50,000 quotas for India Hajj pilgrims as is made out to be; the reality is that it’s due to the private operators’ failure to stick to the strict timeframe of submission of relevant documents, and payments etc. that led cancellation of this allocation.

However, after the intervention by the Indian authorities, the Saudi Arabia’s Ministry for Hajj has restored 10,000 seats, and yet left 40,000 Indians aspiring to go to Hajj in dire straits.

While those going through private operators felt cheated and disappointed at the possibility of their travel plans getting cancelled, it was the Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju who set the record straight through his post on social media.

Asking people not to play politics with Hajj, Rijiju explained that while the Hajj committee of India – official body in charge of conducting the arrangements for pilgrimage –has completed its all formalities with regard to the travel of 1,22,000 pilgrims on time, the private operators –who were allotted 50,000 quota - could not stick to timelines as laid down by the Saudi Hajj authorities.

“No extension of time was also allowed this year by the Saudi Government. However as  India took up the matter with the Saudi Govt. as a special gesture and considering the excellent relations between both the countries, India is given 10,000 Hajj Quotas,” the minister explained.

Pls don't play politics with religious Hajj issue.
Haj arrangements are done as per Saudi rules, regulations, and their timeliness. HCOI and CGI completed all the work for 1,22,000 pilgirms on time.
Unfortunately, the private operators could not finalise the contracts and make… https://t.co/9CwSdabtgX

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) April 17, 2025

Now, the Saudi Hajj Ministry has given a window and opened the Nusuk portal to the private operators to complete their work based on the current space availability in Mina.

Rijiju also urged all the private operators to finalise their contracts and upload all documents on the Saudi Nusuk portal in the extended time period allowed.

This misinformation that Saudi Arabia has cancelled quota for Indians has raised a storm in India with many leaders indirectly blaming the Indian government for this.

However, reacting to the minister’s post on X, many Muslims have asked him to further persuade the Saudi Authorities in making the pilgrimage a reality for the remaining 40,000 Muslims.