While allowing the Government to continue with its Haj plans for lakhs of Muslim pilgrims this year, the Supreme Court (SC) questioned the Government’s continued “largesse” to one community while denying others of similar facilities. The SC accepted that it is the State’s responsibility to provide security and health coverage for pilgrims but questioned whether the nation plans to provide subsidized travel to Nanakana Sahib in Pakistan for Sikhs and Manasorovar Yatra in Tibet for Hindus.

While asserting that this is a temporary reprieve, the SC said that this matter needs to be resolved at the High Court level before next year. It said if it did not allow the preparations which were at an advanced stage of implementation, it would cause hardship to so many pilgrims and also sully the nation’s image