Parliament has finally restructured the Haj Committee. Among other things, it has ensured the committee’s financial accountability. Now, the Central-level committee will have to submit its annual balance sheet for Parliament’s scrutiny. Similarly, all state committees will submit their accounts before the respective State Assemblies. This is a welcome provision and should function as an adequate safeguard against misappropriation of funds — a charge often levelled against Haj committees in the past.The House witnessed a lively debate over this issue, particularly when it came to the subsidy part. At present, the Haj is highly subsidised with a pilgrim paying just Rs 12,000 for air passage that actually costs the government Rs 32,000. Last year, the Finance Ministry recommended that the subsidy levels be cut to half and the pilgrims be made to pay Rs 16,000. But the Vajpayee Government preferred to maintain status quo. While some members were against the idea of continuing with the subsidy, Congress Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha Rehman Khan offered a logical suggestion to restrict subsidy only to first-timers. It actually makes little sense to offer subsidy to those who have been going for Haj every year. The most interesting suggestion came from the Shiv Sena. With its newfound love for the Christians (Don’t forget how Balasaheb is promoting P.C. Alexander for the President’s chair), Sena said it had nothing against continuing with the Haj subsidy, provided the same is offered to Christian pilgrims visiting the Vatican City and Hindu pilgrims travelling to Kailas-Manas Sarovar. They pointed out that far from providing Hindu pilgrims with any subsidy, the government charges them Rs 30,000 each for obtaining permission to visit Kailas-Manas Sarovar. I personally feel the government should continue to subsidise but only those who actually need it. The present policy entitles both Amir Khan and a village pauper to avail of the same benefits. Moreover, the subsidy should be specified at a particular percentage — say 50 per cent — rather than a bulk sum like Rs 20,000. Otherwise, it will create confusion as and when the airfare shoots up.The government should also make sure that the Haj committees take adequate precautions while putting stock money in banks and investing in the stock market by laying down some regulations. With so many Harshad Mehtas on the prowl, it’s better to be careful than sorry.Father of the brideIt's shaadi time in the Laloo household once again. This time, it’s the turn of Rohini Achariya, who is all set to wed Samresh on May 24. This is what we could glean from the invitation card. Though not as unusual as Misa, the name of RJD chief’s second daughter also left many scratching their heads. Well, the story goes that Rabri Devi had developed some serious complications before Rohini’s birth and Laloo, then just a small-time politician, was in great distress. Help came from Kamala Achariya, a Patna-based Bengali doctor, who did everything possible to save both the mother and daughter.When a not-so-well-to-do Laloo offered to pay the fees, the doctor refused to accept any. Laloo was so moved by the gesture that he named the daughter after her saviour as a sincere token of gratitude. And the Yadav family got an Achariya daughter.Animal exchangeRemember we had discussed the Iraqi request for a couple of lion cubs and the bureaucracy’s indifference to it. Recently, I received a letter from Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah. The Gujarat Government is making the cubs available in exchange for some animals from the Iraq National Zoo as per the normal international practice. The offer has already been forwarded to Baghdad and a positive response is awaited.
