Center Withdraws Haj subsidy To Empower Minorities | OneIndia News

The government on Tuesday withdrew Haj subsidy in a bid to end minority appeasement. Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi confirmed that the Haj subsidy has been withdrawn. Image for representation only Naqvi said that for the first time in independent India, 1.75 lakh pilgrims will go to Haj without a subsidy, a rise from the 1.25 lakh that went for the annual pilgrimage last year, reports News 18. "This is part of our policy to empower minorities with dignity and without appeasement," Naqvi said and cited a host of measures for the welfare of minorities. Earlier this year, Naqvi had said the Centre would abolish the subsidy for Haj pilgrims in accordance with a Supreme Court order.