Owaisi Urges Government to Facilitate Safe Return of Stranded Indian Umrah Pilgrims

Urgent Call for Action

In New Delhi, Asaduddin Owaisi, the leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has called on the central government to take immediate action to ensure the safe return of approximately 4,000 Indian Umrah pilgrims stranded in Mecca, Medina, and Jeddah.

He highlighted that many Indian travelers are stuck in Saudi Arabia due to the cancellation of return flights by Indigo, Akasa Air, and Air India, facing significant hardships. According to Owaisi, these pilgrims have been stranded for the past two to three weeks after completing their Umrah, with many travel agents abandoning them in their time of need.

Owaisi accused the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of causing this crisis by not granting these airlines permission to operate flights to Jeddah. He urged the DGCA to promptly allow these airlines to send larger aircraft to bring back the stranded citizens.

Given the seriousness of the situation, Owaisi has appealed to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to take immediate notice of the issue. He also suggested that if there is a delay in obtaining DGCA approval, the government should arrange special flights to ensure the safe return of all travelers.

Owaisi emphasized that a significant portion of the stranded pilgrims belongs to economically weaker sections, who cannot afford the expensive tickets offered by Saudi Airlines to return home. He has urged the government to take swift and concrete measures.