Fact Check Is it true because of BJP PM Modi Muslim Females can go to Hajj alone

Fact Check Is it correct to say PM Modi removed Hajj discrimination done to Muslim Females by past Indian Governments, Congress Governement

Fact Check Is it true because of BJP PM Modi Muslim Females can go to Hajj alone

The prime minister Narendra Modi said following in his monthly radio address ‘Mann ki baat’ on 31st December, 2017

In his speech Prime Minister Narendra Modi said following important points

1- “It has come to our notice that if a Muslim woman wants to go on Haj Pilgrimage, she must have a ‘Mehram’ or a male guardian, otherwise she cannot travel. When I first heard about it, I wondered how it could be possible! Who would have drafted such rules?
Why this discrimination? And when I went into the depth of the matter I was surprised to find that – even after seventy years of our independence, we were the ones who had imposed these restrictions. For decades, injustice was being rendered to Muslim women but there was no discussion on it.

2-Even in many Islamic countries this practice does not exist. But Muslim women in India did not have this right. And I’m glad that our government paid heed to this matter. Our Ministry of Minority Affairs issued corrective measures and we ameliorated this restriction by phasing out a tradition that had been in practice for the past seventy years.

3-Today, Muslim women can perform Haj without ‘mahram’ or male Guardian and I am happy to note that this time about thirteen hundred Muslim women have applied to perform Haj without ‘mahram’ and women from different parts of the country from Kerala to North India, have expressed their wish to go for the Haj pilgrimage.”

After reading this first thought comes into mind that only Because of Congress Party Muslim females were not allowed to go to Haj alone. But is that true?

PM Modi and BJP took the credit and said because of them now Indian Muslim Females can go alone to HAJ without Maharam

'Mahram' is a male relative of a woman with whom she is permanently forbidden to marry by Islam.

What is the truth, Did Prime Minister Narendra Modi lied once again or told only half truth?

To do Haj travel one needs to follow the Visa Rules Norms fix by the Government of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is the free country, No Prime Minister of other nation can dictate and decide the Visa Policies of Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia follows Islam. Every visitor to Saudi has to follow the Islamic Laws this includes females from USA, UK, Australia, Japan or India or any other nation.
The rules are same for all the females

Below are the important points which are mentioned, given on 
https://www.saudiembassy.net/hajj-requirements

Applications for Hajj visa will not be considered if the following requirements are not met:

The applicant must have a passport with a validity of at least six (6) months and acceptable both for entry to Saudi Arabia and entry to the next destination; the passport should have at least two empty visa pages adjacent to each other.

Each applicant must submit one (1) recent passport size color photograph with a white background. The photograph must be a full-face view in which the visa applicant is facing the camera directly. Side or angled views are NOT accepted.

A completed application form filled-out with black ink or printed; the form must be signed and stamped by the authorized travel agency.

The Mahram should write his complete information on the application forms of his spouse and children or any relative with whom he is traveling. He should also provide copies of marriage or birth certificates; if these documents were issued outside the US, he should then provide copies translated and notarized by a certified translation office.

All women are required to travel for Hajj with a Mahram. Proof of kinship must be submitted with the application form. Women over the age of forty-five (45) may travel without a Mahram with an organized group, they must, however submits a no objection letter from her husband, son or brother authorizing her to travel for Hajj with the named group. This letter should be notarized.

The applicant must be in possession of a non-refundable roundtrip ticket with confirmed reservations.

In 2014 or 2015 Saudi government modified rules for females visiting Hajj and started to allow single females group of four above age 45, gave them permission.

The work related to management of Haj pilgrimage has been transferred from Indian Ministry of External Affairs to Ministry of Minority Affairs w.e.f. 1st October, 2016.

http://www.hajcommittee.gov.in/haj_guideline.aspx  says following regarding Hajj Visa.

Any citizen of India who is a Muslim, can apply for Haj except:
i)

Any person not in possession of machine readable valid Indian international passport issued on or before 07th December, 2017 and valid at least up to 14th February, 2019.
ii)

A person who has already performed Haj in any earlier year through HCoI. Thus there is a ban on Repeaters (exceptions are mentioned in para 2 above).
iii)

Those who do not have the mental or physical health to perform the pilgrimage.
iv)

This clause of eligibility is under review.
v)

Those affected with polio, tuberculosis, congestive cardiac & respiratory ailment, acute coronary insufficiency, coronary thrombosis, mental disorder, infectious leprosy, AIDS or any other communicable disease / disability.
vi)

Ladies in advanced stage of pregnancy, especially those who are in such a stage at the time of outbound flight to the KSA.
vii)

Ladies not accompanied by Sharai Mehram except Ladies above 45 years of age, who wish to go for Haj but do not have a Male Mahram and their school of thought (Maslak) permits are allowed to travel in group of four (4). The group of such ladies should remain four (4) at all stages of Haj journey.


The suggestion to update the guidelines for Indian women pilgrims came from a five-member panel set up for drafting the New Haj Policy 2018-22 that said the condition of male” mahrams” accompanying ladies should be insisted only for women below 45

All credit goes to Saudi Government; Congress party did not discriminate on Muslim females regarding Hajj.

As suggestion was given, it was legal and valid suggestion BJP Modi government accepted it.

Now also Single Indian female cannot visit alone to Saudi for Hajj, they have to go in group of 4 and need an authority letter from family members and notarized.

Today Indian government can send females alone to Haj only because Saudi Arabia changed its rules in 2014 or 2015

But still Indian females have to follow all visa rules laid down by the government of Saudi Arabia

Fact Check Result – PM Narendra Modi told only half-truth which gave credit to BJP, his government.

Full truth is all credit goes to government of Saudi Arabia and congress party did not discriminate against Muslim females.

Below are Screen shots showing Saudi Hajj Visa Rules

Reality views by sm –

Monday, January 01, 2018

Tags – Saudi Arabia Visa Hajj Travel Female Alone