Vol. XLII No. 03 January 21, 2018
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On Haj Subsidy

CPI(M)  Polit Bureau has issued the following statement on January 17

THE union government has decided to abruptly stop the Haj subsidy for pilgrims’ travel, though the Supreme Court had given a verdict in 2012 that this subsidy should be phased out over a ten year period.  The sudden withdrawal of the subsidy seems arbitrary and motivated by other considerations. 

As per the secular principle of the State, the CPI(M) is not for State subsidy, or, funding of  religious pilgrimages undertaken by individuals whichever religion they belong to.  Hence, there should be no central or state government funding, as it exists today, of providing subsidies and grants for individuals to go on religious pilgrimages.