Delhi High Court notice to Centre on plea to let Muslim staff help Haj pilgrims

NEW DELHI:  The Delhi High Court has sought a response from the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs on a plea seeking an opportunity for all Muslim employees of the Centre, states and Union territories for deputation to the Consulate General of India in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to assist Haj pilgrims, instead of deputing only Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel.

The petition moved by Advocate Aamir Javed was challenging the March 20 office memorandum of the ministry on temporary deputation, which includes only employees working in CAPF.  

A division bench presided over by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad asked the Haj Division of the Minority Affairs to respond to the plea while posting it for May 10.

The petition sought direction to amend the office memorandum to the extent of giving opportunities to all Muslim employees of Centre, States and Union Territories to assist Haj pilgrims as coordinators (admin), assistant Haj officers and Haj assistants for Haj-2023.

Otherwise, the office memorandum violates Article 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution, the plea claimed. According to the office memorandum, approximately 1.4 lakh Indian pilgrims will be participating in Haj-2023. The first flight for the pilgrimage from India will take off on May 21. The annual pilgrimage will take place around June end.

“The petition is being filed on the basis that other Central or state government/UT administration employees are not eligible for any deputation in the office memorandum... dated March 20, 2023, which earlier was a practice of the Government of India to send male and female members of the Muslim community who are employees of various government departments on deputation on a temporary basis to Consulate General of India, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to render assistance to Haj pilgrims,” the plea said.

According to the petitioner, the office memorandum specifically cites that the work involved is administrative in nature and thus there is no reason as to why only CAPF employees are eligible and other permanent employees are not. 

Over lakh Indian pilgrims to attend Haj-2023

According to an office memorandum, approximately 1.4 lakh Indian pilgrims will be participating in Haj-2023. The first flight for the pilgrimage from India will take off on May 21. The annual pilgrimage will take place around June end.