00:03First came this move to raise airfare for Hajj pilgrims by Rs. 10,000 then came
00:08this video complaining about accommodation arrangements. Here's a closer
00:14look at Hajj 2026 and how the authorities are dealing with the
00:18controversies around it. Due to the conflict in West Asia, aviation fuel
00:21prices have more than doubled. In response, the Hajj committee announced a
00:25Rs. 10,000 hike in airfare for pilgrims, a move that drew criticism from several
00:29opposition leaders. Responding to the backlash, Union Minority Affairs Minister
00:33Kiran Rajju issued this clarification. He said airlines had initially demanded an
00:37additional $300 to $400 per pilgrim but the government negotiated the
00:42increase down to just $100. However, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Ovesi called the
00:47committee's move, exploitation and nothing else. Then came these videos doing the
00:51rounds, reported to be from a hostel for Hajj pilgrims complaining about the
00:54accommodation arrangements.
00:59Within hours, the Indian Hajj pilgrims office responded with this video and said
01:04the issue has been resolved. If you're wondering why the government is involved
01:07in the first place, it has quite a history. Since 1954, India has run the Hajj
01:11pilgrimage through the Hajj committee. Back then, the only way to make this
01:14journey was sailing across the sea on a ship. But as air travel became more
01:17accessible, sea travel was discontinued in 1995 and all pilgrims began
01:22travelling by air. For decades, the pilgrimage saw subsidies from the
01:25government. In 2012, the government spent Rs. 836 crore in subsidies. That same
01:30year, the Supreme Court directed that the subsidy be discontinued and that the
01:34money should be spent to uplift the community in education instead. No subsidy
01:37has been provided to pilgrims since 2018. However, through the Hajj Suvidar app, the
01:42government offers pilgrims a comprehensive Hajj package that typically
01:45costs around Rs. 3 lakh.
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