GUWAHATI, Oct 11 � Haj pilgrims and their relatives have called for professionalism on the part of the State Haj Committee so that pilgrims do not face inconveniences.
It needs to be mentioned here that every year, the Haj pilgrims complain of inconveniences in the matter of food, lodging and travelling, but this year the relatives of the Haj pilgrims alleged the problems have aggravated like never before.
Alleging that the State Haj Committee has conducted itself in the most cavalier manner, a relative of some Haj pilgrims, NR Laskar said that the need of the hour was to induct professionalism in the State Haj Committee�s functioning.
Since landing in the capital city, the Haj pilgrims are facing many difficulties as their plan has been upset due to the delay in the departure of the first batch of pilgrims.
This year around 5,000 pilgrims from the North East will make it to the pilgrimage site in several batches. The first batch of pilgrims scheduled to leave on October 8 from the LGBI airport by an afternoon flight was stranded for more than 20 hours in the airport, allegedly without food, as the flight was inordinately delayed. In this group, there were aged men and many elderly women who found it quite difficult to bear this unexpected and harrowing development.
On Monday, a pilgrim, Sabeer Ahmed of Hailakandi, was fervently praying to God for a hassle-free journey. Initially he was slated to leave for the holy place on October 10, but the delay of the first batch of pilgrims has upset the entire schedule and nothing is going according to plan.
�The State Haj Committee has acted in a manner of utter indifference towards the pilgrims who have deposited Rs 1.30 lakh to the committee for the pilgrimage,� complained Laskar who is a public relations professional.
Laskar said that as pilgrims are arriving in the capital city for departure to the holy place, the Haji Musafirkhana near the Nehru Stadium is witnessing a situation of congestion. However, none from the Haj Committee was available for comment.
