The Hindu : National : Centre defends Haj subsidy

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Centre defends Haj subsidy

Legal Correspondent

New Delhi: The policy decision to grant a nearly Rs. 280-crore subsidy to Haj pilgrims every year does not affect the principles of secularism, the Centre told the Supreme Court.

“The basic feature of secularism is in no way marred by the decision. The government is not averse to the idea of granting support to the pilgrimage conducted by any community,” it said.

A Bench, consisting of Justices R.V. Raveendran and L.S. Panta, admitted a petition by Prafull Goradia, former MP, challenging the Haj subsidy.

The Centre pointed out that a Rs. 3,250-subsidy per head was being provided for the Kailash Manasarovar pilgrimage. Facilities were being provided to Hindu and Sikh pilgrims for visits to temples and gurdwaras in Pakistan. For the Kumbh Mela, the State government incurred expenditure.

Providing facilitating measures for the Haj could never be termed a process to acquire a particular religious character by the state, the Centre said.

“As such, the basic feature of secularism is not at all impeded by such activities, rather it stimulates the ideas as set out in the Preamble to the Constitution.”

Challenging the the Haj Committee Act, 1959 providing for annual government assistance to Muslims, Mr. Goradia said the assistance was unconstitutional and in violation of Articles 14, 15 and 27 of the Constitution.

In a secular country, the government could not promote a particular religion at the cost of others and spend the amount collected by way of taxes for one religious community, the petitioner said.

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