Cancellation of 52,000 private Hajj slots: CM Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti urge MEA intervention

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti have expressed their deep concern about the reported cancellation of the Hajj slots for over 52,000 Indian pilgrims.

Taking to micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter) Office of Chief Minister, J&K said: “The reported cancellation of Hajj slots for over 52,000 Indian pilgrims, many of whom have already completed payments, is deeply concerning”.

“I urge Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs @DrSJaishankar to engage with the Saudi authorities at the earliest to explore a resolution in the interest of all affected pilgrims. This measure is crucial to ease the distress of thousands hoping to undertake the sacred pilgrimage this year,” it said on X.

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has urged Union Ministry of External Affairs to ‘immediately’ intervene and take up the matter of 80 per cent of India’s private Hajj quota been cut abruptly this year. This sudden decision, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has caused distress for pilgrims and tour operators.

“Disturbing news emerging from Saudi Arabia. Reports indicate that 80% of India’s private Haj quota has been cut abruptly,” Mufti said in a post on X on Sunday, April 13.

“This sudden decision is causing immense distress for pilgrims and tour operators across the country,” she said and urged “Ministry of External Affairs to immediately intervene by taking up this matter with the Saudi government to seek a resolution.”

This year Hajj is expected to take place from June 4 to June 9, 2025, depending on the sighting of the moon marking the beginning of Zil-Hajj, the 12th month of Islamic calender. Pilgrims will likely begin their journey to Saudi Arabia as early as the end of April.

In 2024, about 140,000 Indians proceeded to Hajj, according to government of India numbers.

In January 2025, India signed a Haj agreement with Saudi Arabia, finalising a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims for itself. Union Ministry of Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju signed the agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Minister for Hajj and Umrah Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah in Jeddah.

“Haj Agreement 2025 signed with Tawfiq Bin Fawzan Al-Rabiah, Minister for Hajj and Umrah of Kindom of Saudi Arabia. Finalized a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims from India for Haj 2025. We are committed to providing the best possible services to all our Haj pilgrims,” Rijiju said in a post on X in January.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha earlier, Rijiju said that for the year 2025, the quota has been distributed within the same range between HCoI and HGOs, in the ratio of 70:30, which has been communicated vide the Hajj Policy-2025 issued on August 5, 2024.

For Hajj 2025, the quota of Haj pilgrims allotted to HGOs is 30 per cent of India’s total of 1,75,025, i.e. 52,507, he had said.