The Hajj Committee of India on Tuesday announced that all applications for the pilgrimage this year stand cancelled as the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, informed only a limited number of people residing in the country will be allowed to go for Hajj due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a circular, the Indian Committee said that Saudi Arabia's government has issued a statement informing that keeping in view of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, it has decided to allow only citizens and residents of Saudi Arabia to attend Hajj this year in limited numbers and international Hajj has been cancelled.
"Hence it has been decided by the Hajj Committee of India that all the applications for Hajj 2021 stand cancelled," the circular signed by Hajj Committee of India's Chief Executive Officer Maqsood Ahmed Khan said.
Last year also the government had decided that Muslims from India will not travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj 2020 after Saudi Arabia conveyed that pilgrims should not be sent in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.