New Delhi: A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in Delhi High Court sought direction to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to either float open tenders inviting bids from all existing airlines flying between India and Saudi Arabia or allow Hajj pilgrims to directly purchase tickets for their Haj flights.
"This would enable Hajis, who perform an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah - the holiest city for Muslims - to purchase air tickets at best competitive rates", the PIL filed by Delhi-based advocate Shahid Ali last week said.
The PIL further said if open tenders were not invited by all airlines, Haj pilgrims will continue to be forced to buy air-tickets at much higher rates than otherwise available in the open market, according to PTI.
If the Haj Committee Act is not set aside, Muslims of India will suffer adversely, it added.
The petition also alleged that the aviation ministry has been exercising monopoly in purchasing air tickets for pilgrims by getting them at two-six times higher rates than the prevalent rates in the market.
It sought an enquiry on why the air tickets were being purchased at higher rates and alleged that there was possibility that this could be of one of the biggest scams in India.
The PIL also sought an independent Muslim body to look into the arrangements for Haj pilgrims and quashing of the government controlled Haj Committee.
The plea referred to a recent notification of the Centre, scrapping the subsidy for pilgrims to get cheaper flights to- and-fro. Since it has been scrapped, it said, there was no need for a government-controlled panel to manage its affairs and the Haj Committee Act 2002 was also liable to be quashed, the PTI said.
"Pass order or direction or issuance of an appropriate writ, thereby quashing the present Constitution of Haj committee and further allowing the Muslim citizens of India to formulate their own body in the similar manner as the Sikh minority of India is allowed to formulate their own body to manage their minority affairs under the Act known as Sikh Gurudwara Act, 1925," the plea said.
The question of whether the government should continue to look at all affairs of the Haj Committee, right from inviting applications for Haj till the return of Hajis after the pilgrimage, had acquired importance after the Centre scrapped the subsidy, the petition said.
Air India fare for Haj Pilgrims
The Haj airfares range between Rs 80,000 and 90,000, depending on the point of embarkation. In 2017, the Haj Committee of India charged about 82,000 to Haj pilgrims from Aurangabad embarkation point. This airfare is almost double of what Air India normally charges.
According to market sources, airfares in the peak season is maximum Rs.45,000 -meaning there is a huge difference between the actual airfare with what Air India is charging.
Stakeholders say there are two reasons why Air India airfares are too high. One, the validity of Air India tickets is one year as against a normal ticket which has 03 months of validity. Second, the Haj Committee of India says, due to the arrangements and other offsite costs and for operating empty one-way flight.
More than 170,000 Muslims performed Haj in 2017 through Haj Committee of India and private tour operators.
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