New Delhi : The Centre on Monday
moved the Supreme Court challenging an order of the Allahabad High Court
stopping subsidy for sending nearly one lakh Haj pillgrims on the
ground that upturning the existing regime would be fraught with loss
of revenue, as well as an embarrassment in the international arena.
Seeking a stay
on the HC order that could hinder the Haj in November, the Centre in
its special leave petition said the government has already entered into
an agreement with the Saudi government as well as its official
airlines for transporting the pilgrims and any change of plan at this
eleventh hour would see India losing its face in international fora
in addition to suffering a huge financial loss.
Most of the arguments
put by the government in the SLP, which is likely to be mentioned before
the court on Tuesday were identical to what Solicitor General G E Vahanvati
had argued before the HC while seeking vacation of its August 25 order.
The order was passed on a PIL filed in 1995 seeking a total ban on subsidies
to all pilgrimages.
The SG had stated
that of the 1,47,000 quota of Haj pilgrims allotted to India by
the Saudi government, 1,00,000 is given to the Haj committee, which
coordinates with the government for the transport of the pilgrims. The
rest 47,000 pillgrims arrange for their own transport and lodging. For
the one lakh pilgrims, the government has already given a guarantee
to the Saudi Airlines that 99% of the seats will be filled. He said any
shortfall therein would result in the airline charging the government.
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