JKHC issues notice to Centre, state on intending Haj pilgrims

Srinagar, Dec 15 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has issued notices to the Centre and the state government, seeking an explanation as to why some intending pilgrims, including senior Hurriyat leader Masarat Alam, were not given permission to perform Haj this year.

A single bench of Justice Mansoor Ahmed Mir issued notices on petitions filed by an elderly couple from Sopore area in Baramulla district and Mr Alam, who is also the chairman of the Muslim League.

The intending pilgrims were denied travel documents by the authorities to perform Haj this year.

The petitioners had challenged the government move, terming it as violation of the Haj Act of 2002.

Justice Mir directed the respondents to consider the case in terms of a judgment passed by the Division Bench of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court on a public interest litigation (PIL) in 2004.

Meanwhile, the Hurriyat Conference, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, described the move as '' violation of human rights and interference in one's religious affairs''.

In a statement here, a Hurriyat spokesman said it was not the first time when people were stopped from performing Haj.

He said even last year several people were stopped from performing the religious obligation. ''India has always given priority to the Saudi Arabia government and in Kashmir it stops the people from performing their religious obligations,'' he added.

The spokesman alleged that the move to stop the people from performing their religious obligations ''exposes India's claim of being a secular country''. ''It clearly shows that in India people do not have religious freedom and they are being treated as second class citizens,'' he alleged.

Mr Alam, who is senior member of the Geelani-led Hurriyat Conference, was denied permission by the government to perform Haj.

However, his name was not cleared by the intelligence agencies.

Later Mr Alam told UNI that he had completed all the required formalities besides depositing the money with the state Haj committee for undertaking the pilgrimage.

Mr Alam said his name also figured in the list of selected pilgrims released by the state Haj committee and was scheduled to leave on December 5.

''The state Haj committee later informed me that I have to leave on December 9. But, yesterday I was told that I had not been given the permission to proceed to Jeddah,'' he added.

The Hurriyat leader said he has approached the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, seeking directions to the state Haj committee to allow him to undertake the pilgrimage. ''It is a direct attempt to curb my religious rights,'' he added.

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