Chikkamagaluru: Karnataka Minister for Minority Welfare, Hajj and Wakf U T Khader warned on Saturday, October 24, that the Hajj Committee will approach the Supreme Court if flight services to bring back stranded Kannada-speaking pilgrims from Mecca do not resume within two days.
Around 600 to 800 Kannadiga pilgrims are reportedly stranded in Mecca after travelling on flights operated by IndiGo, Akasa Air and Air India Express. The pilgrims have also booked their return tickets, and the responsibility to bring them back lies with the airlines that transported them, Khader said at a press conference.
‘Airlines from other countries continue to operate’
He said flights operated by airlines from other countries were continuing to operate, while services involving the three Indian carriers had not resumed. The airlines had initially indicated that flights would restart on October 24 but later postponed the date to October 27, he said.
“If flight services do not resume within two days, we will approach the court through the Hajj Committee,” Khader said.
He also expressed concern over the lack of a response from the Centre. According to the minister, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had written to the Union Civil Aviation Minister regarding the issue, but no response had been received.
Khader said the Hajj Committee would seek legal intervention and ask the airlines to compensate the stranded pilgrims for the losses and inconvenience they had suffered because of the delay. The committee is prepared to approach the Supreme Court if the airlines fail to make arrangements for their return within the stipulated time, he added.
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Source: The Siasat Daily
