Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said over 4,000 Muslim women performing Haj this year without mehram was a huge transformation. He further said that more and more people were getting the chance to go for Haj with the changes made by his government in the Haj policy over the past few years.
In his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, PM Modi said he has received a large number of letters this time from Muslim women who have recently returned from the Haj. “This journey of theirs is very special in many ways. These are the women who performed Haj without any male companion or mehram and the number is not 50 or 100, but more than 4,000 — this is a huge transformation,” the PM said.
Earlier, Muslim women were not allowed to perform Haj without mehram, Modi said. “Through Mann Ki Baat, I also express my heartfelt gratitude to the Government of Saudi Arabia,” he added.
Modi further said that women coordinators were specially appointed for women going on Haj without mehram, adding the changes that have been made in the Haj Policy in the past few years are being highly appreciated.
“Our Muslim mothers and sisters have written a lot to me about this. Now, more and more people are getting the chance to go for Haj. The blessing given by the people who have returned from the Haj pilgrimage, especially our mothers and sisters through their letters, is very inspiring in itself,” Modi added.
