A controversy has erupted over inviting volunteers for food supply at the State Haj Camp at Karipur only from the Kerala Muslim Jamat and its subsidiary groups like Sunni Yuvajana Sangam (SYS) and Sunni Students Federation (SSF).
Several Muslim organisations on May 16 (Thursday) protested against their exclusion.
In a memorandum to Minister for Waqaf V. Abdurahiman, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) Markazudawa general secretary C.P. Umer Sullami sought action against those who tried to hijack the Haj services.
Mr. Sullami said that Muslim groups such as the EK and AP Samasthas, KNM Markazudawa, KNM CD Tower, Wisdom Islamic Organisation, Jamat-e-Islami, Dakshina Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, Samsthana Jamiyyathul Ulama, and Tableeg Jamat were all involved in Haj services without any controversies until now.
He sought action against those who misused the Haj volunteer services for vested interests.
Haj Committee Chairman C. Mohammed Faizy, however, denied the allegations saying that the volunteers were invited by a catering service provider who had won the tender.
“The Haj Committee is careful to include all sections of the Muslim community in the Haj services. The committee has not discriminated in the volunteer services. The group that won the tender for providing food invited the people of their choice as volunteers for them,” said Mr. Faizy.
Mr. Faizy said that the Haj Committee warned the catering group against such a discrimination. “We want the services to be 100 per cent unbiased. Such discrimination by anyone can bring bad name to the committee. We don’t want that,” he added.
