PICTURE SPEAK

SUBSIDY POLITICS: None of the Muslim countries provide Haj subsidy Muslim clerics say the subsidy is, in fact, profiting the Ministry of Civil Aviation and that it should be withdrawn.

The court ruling has raised the hackles of Muslim intellectuals and clerics, who retort that the Government is actually subsidising the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Air-India since the money is given for discounted air fares. Last year, the subsidy was Rs 225 crore, up from Rs 150 crore in 2001. Significantly, the ruling applies to all communities. The Government has six weeks to file a counter-affidavit.

The order is bound to be challenged in the Supreme Court. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said: "The last word on it is yet to be heard." Shukla, who teaches in Lucknow's King's College, is a former Shiv Sena activist. He says the Government has only one option: to amend the Constitution.

Over one lakh Indian Muslims undertake the Haj every year and each one gets a discount of Rs 20,000-Rs 23,000 on the return ticket for which they pay only Rs 12,000. The rest of the fare is paid to the Ministry of Civil Aviation by the Ministry of External Affairs. The total cost including lodging charges ranges from Rs 65,000 to Rs 90,000 per haji.

Critics of the subsidy argue that nonse of 50-odd Muslim countries provide this kind of subsidy as Quran does not allow this. All India Haj Seva Samiti Chairman Hafiz Naushad Azmi said the Government was subsidising air tickets because hajis only went by Air-India. Other airlines would provide tickets for the same amount under group travel schemes.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board member and legal expert Zafaryab Jilani too was of the opinion that the "subsidy" should be withdrawn. Syed Shahabuddin, president of All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mashawarat has demanded that it be phased out. Now the high court order might end the practice. Whichever way the Government responds to the court order of August 25, it has exposed the reality behind the politics of subsidy of successive governments.

-By Farzand Ahmed

Index