– Shakilur Rahman
New Delhi, Jan. 19: The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs has issued an order to select only employees of police force as Haj officers and assistants to serve in Saudi Arabia during Haj 2024. Muslim employees working in other states and departments have been deprived of this service. Advocate Aamir Qazi of Aurangabad has challenged the said order before the Aurangabad Bench of Bombay High Court, which is scheduled to hear his application on January 23.
Qazi served as Assistant Haj Officer in Saudi Arabia in 2022. But due to this ‘discriminatory order’ he was deprived of these services the previous year and this year also. Calling it against the fundamental rights given in the Constitution, he appealed to Minority Affairs Minister Smriti Irani to withdraw the order and select the employees from other states and departments of the country equally. Not having got any positive response from the Ministry, he approached the High Court.
During Haj in Saudi Arabia, Muslim employees from all departments and states had been going to serve the Hajis for administrative services every year. Till 2014, only male employees used to go for this service. But when women were allowed to perform Haj without any Mahram relative, women employees started to be selected for this service. Advocates Aslam Ahmed and Raees Ahmed of Supreme Court will appear to argue the case.
In a statement, Advocate Raees Ahmed said every year all the employees from all departments and states were given the opportunity of Haj service without any discrimination and they continued to perform their duties with due responsibility. Similarly, in future too, Muslim employees should be selected from departments of all states.
Advocate Aamir Qazi said many government employees shared the concern with him and expressed their unhappiness over this order. “Therefore, the Union Government should withdraw this order immediately and allow all eligible Muslim government employees for this service. We also appeal to the Government to protect the fundamental right to equality and provide all government Muslim employees an opportunity to serve during Haj pilgrimage,” he said.
