Union Minister for Minority Affairs Smriti Irani accompanied by Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan on Monday met with Indian volunteers who provide dedicated service to Indian Haj pilgrims in Saudi Arabia and also interacted with Umrah pilgrims from India.
Irani, also serving as the Union Minister for Women & Child Development, travelled to Madinah city - one of Islam's holiest cities - on Monday. "Undertook a historic journey to Madinah today, one of Islam's holiest cities included a visit to the periphery of the revered Prophet's Mosque, Al Masjid Al Nabwi, the mountain of Uhud, and periphery of the Quba Mosque – the first Mosque of Islam," she said in a post on X.
"The significance of the visit to these sites courtesy Saudi officials, intertwined with early Islamic history, underscores the depth of our cultural and spiritual engagement," she added. According to an official statement, the delegation interacted with Indian volunteers who provide dedicated and selfless service to Indian Haj pilgrims, including during Haj 2023.
The delegation also interacted with Umrah pilgrims from India. The visit shall help provide a first hand insight into the arrangements required to be made for ensuring a comfortable Haj 2024 for the Indian pilgrims, it added. "The Government of India is deeply committed to assist in providing facilities and services to Indian Muslims who undertake the Haj pilgrimage, thereby providing them with a comfortable and fulfilling experience," it said.
India and Saudi Arabia share warm and cordial ties and the Government of India deeply appreciates the special gesture of Saudi's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah in facilitating this visit of the Indian delegation to Madinah, the statement added. On Sunday, India and Saudi Arabia signed the Bilateral Haj Agreement 2024 under which New Delhi has been allocated a quota of 1,75,025 pilgrims for the annual Haj pilgrimage in 2024.
