News Brief
Prime Minister Modi Hails Record-Breaking Number Of Indian Women Performing Hajj Without 'Mehram' This Year
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme. (Twitter)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the significant change in the number of Muslim women performing Haj without a male companion or 'mehram'.
He highlighted that the government's Hajj policy modifications have provided more opportunities for people to participate in the annual pilgrimage.
This year, over 4,000 Indian women undertook the Hajj pilgrimage without the requirement of a 'mehram', marking the highest number since the reform in 2018.
The policy change eliminated the obligation for women to have a male companion during the pilgrimage.
During his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Prime Minister Modi shared that he received numerous letters from Muslim mothers and sisters regarding the opportunity to go for Hajj.
He expressed that he found their letters, especially those from individuals who had already completed the pilgrimage, to be incredibly inspiring.
These letters serve as a testament to the unique experiences and challenges faced by these women who undertook the journey, he added.
The Prime Minister expressed his admiration for the women, emphasising that the number exceeded 4,000.
He described this as a significant transformation, highlighting the magnitude of the change and the empowerment it represents for these women.
Earlier, Muslim women were not allowed to perform Hajj without a male companion.
Prime Minister Modi mentioned the appointment of women coordinators specifically for the women going on Hajj without a mehram.
Expressing his gratitude to the Government of Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Modi acknowledged their support through Mann Ki Baat.
India had been allocated a quota of 175,025 Hajj pilgrims for this year's annual pilgrimage, which took place at the end of June.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has claimed that the Modi government has implemented several measures to empower Muslim women, in addition to the Hajj policy, such as passing the law to ban triple talaq.
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