SC notice to Centre on financial aid to Haj pilgrims

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Union government on a petition filed by former BJP Rajya Sabha member Prafull Goradia challenging the constitutional validity of the Port Haj Committee's Act, 1932, under which financial assistance is provided to Haj pilgrims.

The petitioner has also sought directions to the Centre not to collect taxes from him as the same were being misused to provide subsidies to Haj pilgrims visiting Mecca, Madina in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Jordan which violated Articles 14, 15 and 27 of the Constitution of India as such financial assistance provided to the members of a particular community violated the fundamental rights of the petitioner.

The petitioner has also contended before the bench comprising Mr Justice H K Sema and Mr Justice P K Balasubramanian that the government was spending over Rs 280 crore per year for Muslim pilgrims and no such subsidy was provided to the followers of other religions such as Hindus, Christians, Buddhists and Sikhs.

The impugned act, which is now known as Haj Committee Act, 1959 during the British regime, provided only protection to the Haj pilgrims and no financial assistance and the act damaged the secular fabric of the Indian society, the petitioner said. The petitioner, being the Chairman of a number of companies, had paid taxes to the tune of Rs one crore to the state.

UNI