Haj subsidy scrapped — Here's how Twitterattis reacted

In a major development by the government, the Haj subsidy for thousands of Muslims who go on Haj pilgrimage each year was scrapped on Wednesday. With the announcement, the Haj pilgrims will no longer be able to avail facilities like airfare subsidy as well as assistance to Muslim pilgrims for domestic travel to reach specially designed Haj departure airport terminals, meal, medical care and lodging assistance provided by the government. 

A record number of 1.75 lakh Muslims will undertake the pilgrimage this year from India, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, adding the government had spent over Rs 250 crore last year on subsidising the annual pilgrimage of Muslims to Saudi Arabia. The decision is in line with a 2012 Supreme Court order, asking the government to do away with the subsidy, which had long been sought by the BJP.

Soon after the announcement, reactions started pouring on the micro-blogging site. Here, we bring to you some of the posts: 

@asadowaisi: "#Haj Subsidy this year it is 200 crore & it would have been phased out by 2022 as per Supreme Court order,since 2006 I have been demanding that should be removed & used for Muslim girls education upliftment"

#Haj Subsidy this year it is 200 crore & it would have been phased out by 2022 as per Supreme Court order,since 2006 I have been demanding that should be removed & used for Muslim girls education upliftment

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) January 16, 2018

@bukharishujaat: "Withdrawing the #Hajj subsidy is a welcome decision by the government. It should have been done away with long ago. No need for subsidy to perform a personal obligation."

Withdrawing the #Hajj subsidy is a welcome decision by the government. It should have been done away with long ago. No need for subsidy to perform a personal obligation. — Shujaat Bukhari (@bukharishujaat) January 16, 2018

@shahid_siddiqui: I have been demanding end to Haj subsidy for a long time. Welcome move. IndianMuslims need no subsidy but demand their  rights as equal citizens of Democratic India.

I have been demanding end to Haj subsidy for a long time. Welcome move.
IndianMuslims need no subsidy but demand their rights as equal citizens of Democratic India. https://t.co/NMEGBIgECW — shahid siddiqui (@shahid_siddiqui) January 16, 2018

@irenaakbar: Dear BJP, kindly do not ‘empower’ us by removing Haj subsidy. Dear Congress, kindly recall that we never asked you to ‘appease’ us with Haj subsidy. Dear both, kindly leave us alone, and focus on development. Sincerely, Indian Muslim

Dear BJP, kindly do not ‘empower’ us by removing Haj subsidy. Dear Congress, kindly recall that we never asked you to ‘appease’ us with Haj subsidy. Dear both, kindly leave us alone, and focus on development. Sincerely, Indian Muslim — Irena Akbar (@irenaakbar) January 16, 2018

@syedmohammedd: Have spoken to a lot of people in the past couple of hours. Most of them have said that scrapping the subsidy is a good thing, The issue of open tenders is being spoken about. Also, that haj is mandatory on only those who can afford to make the pilgrimage. #Hajj #HajSubsidy

Have spoken to a lot of people in the past couple of hours. Most of them have said that scrapping the subsidy is a good thing, The issue of open tenders is being spoken about. Also, that haj is mandatory on only those who can afford to make the pilgrimage. #Hajj #HajSubsidy — Syed Mohammed محمد (@syedmohammedd) January 16, 2018

A large number of people, including politicians from different parties, agree on one thing, that international open tenders be called to fly pilgrims. Subsidy helped Air India more than anybody else. #Hajj#HajSubsidy #Haj — Syed Mohammed محمد (@syedmohammedd) January 16, 2018

@Jehangir_Inayat: Hajj subsidy for Indian pilgrims = Rs 650 crore. Subsidy per pilgrim Rs 43k. Return airfare for Hajj flight (ex-Delhi by @airindiain) = Rs 73k.  Ticket cost by Saudi airlines = Rs 28K.Difference in fare= Rs 45k. That's where subsidy went all these years @naqvimukhtar

Hajj subsidy for Indian pilgrims = Rs 650 crore. Subsidy per pilgrim Rs 43k.
Return airfare for Hajj flight (ex-Delhi by @airindiain) = Rs 73k. Ticket cost by Saudi airlines = Rs 28K. Difference in fare= Rs 45k. That's where subsidy went all these years @naqvimukhtar — Inayat Jehangir (@Jehangir_Inayat) January 16, 2018

@listenshahid: Withdrawal of #Haj subsidy is a welcome step. Subsidy defeats the purpose of Pilgrimage.

Let's use it on education.

Withdrawal of #Haj subsidy is a welcome step. Subsidy defeats the purpose of Pilgrimage.
Let's use it on education. — Shahid Choudhary (@listenshahid) January 16, 2018

@chetan_bhagat: No more #Hajj subsidy. Wasn’t much, but was religion specific appeasement. Brave but welcome and historic move.

No more #Hajj subsidy. Wasn’t much, but was religion specific appeasement. Brave but welcome and historic move. — Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) January 16, 2018

@vagishasoni: Hardly any Govt has withdrawn any kind of subsidy lately, NDA Govt withdrawing Haj Subsidy is a positive step in the spirit of true Secularism. Kudos to @narendramodi

Hardly any Govt has withdrawn any kind of subsidy lately, NDA Govt withdrawing Haj Subsidy is a positive step in the spirit of true Secularism. Kudos to @narendramodi — Vagisha (@vagishasoni) January 16, 2018

@tanzysiddiqui: Well its good they have ended #hajj subsidy. Hopefully they will use the money on right direction

Well its good they have ended #hajj subsidy
Hopefully they will use the money on right direction — Tanzeel Siddiqui (@tanzysiddiqui) January 16, 2018

@RohithDxo: The money spent on this is going to be spent on education and women of minority community! Which is good.

The money spent on this is going to be spent on education and women of minority community! Which is good. — Not Zac Efron (@RohithDxo) January 16, 2018