Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir is facing a sharp decline in Hajj applications as the aspirants say the authorities have increased the expenses manifold which they could not bear.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Tariq Ahmad, a retired government employee from North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, harbored a strong desire to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage with his wife this year. The couple eagerly anticipated embarking on this spiritually enriching journey. However, upon inquiring about the expenses involved in performing Hajj this year, they made the difficult decision to abandon their plans.
Over the years, the cost of Hajj has increased significantly leaving the pilgrims disappointed. However, despite the costs remaining similar to last year, the Hajj committee of Kashmir has witnessed a significant drop in applications for Hajj this year.
Many individuals who talked to the media expressed concerns that economic constraints pose a significant barrier for those aspiring to embark on the sacred journey of Hajj.
Ejaz Ayoub, an independent Srinagar-based economist told the media that economic inequality in the society has widened and the middle class section-which is the largest section in the society – has suffered a series of economic blows due to back to back showdowns owning to abrogation of Article 370 and Covid-19.
“The rich class will prefer private operators but the middle class is in trouble. The borrowing is high among them, savings are less and the inflation is high,” he added.
Many individuals pointed to the inadequate facilities in Mecca for Kashmiri pilgrims last year as one of the main reasons they chose not to submit their application forms.
“You must have seen the videos where almost all the pilgrims complained of poor facilities in hotels, transportation and overcrowding last year. It has an impact,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a resident of HMT Srinagar.
Owing to the rising cost of Hajj many people are turning to the cheaper alternative of Umrah instead.
“Umrah costs only 1 lakh for a 20-day journey. It’s affordable,” stated Akthar Hussain, who returned to the valley after completing Umrah in December.—KMS
