The Nepal Muslim Etihad Organization has handed over a memorandum to Home Minister Bal Krishna Khan today demanding reduction in the fee for Hajj pilgrims to Mecca and Medina. According to Halim Sah, secretary of the organization, a delegation led by the president of the organization, Saraj Ahmed Farooqi, presented a memorandum to Minister Khan today demanding reduction of the fee for Hajj pilgrims.
Secretary of the organization Sah said that they have demanded to reduce the fee as the economic condition of the Muslim community is weak and they are not able to pay the fee. Understanding the memorandum, Minister Khan expressed his commitment to reduce the fee. In the memorandum, financial assistance has been demanded for pilgrims going for Hajj.
The pilgrims are preparing to go to Makkah on June 21 to perform Hajj. Hajj was stopped in 2020 AD due to the corona virus. Despite the quota of 1,500 pilgrims for Nepal, the government is planning to take only 554 pilgrims due to the corona virus.
People from the Muslim community are used to go to Mecca for Hajj from Nepal since 1964 AD. Initially, the pilgrimage to Makkah was done by sea from Mumbai, India and then Pilgrims started their pilgrimage by air since 1990 AD. Muslim communities around the world perform Hajj on Makkah Day, a holy day of pilgrimage. There is a religious belief that going to Makkah to offer prayers and offer sacrifices will atone for past sins.
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