AMN /
Several Muslim organisations have strongly condemned the Haj Committee of India’s attempt to link Viagra, porn literature with Indian Haj pilgrims. They termed the Committee advisory as conspiracy to defame Muslim pilgrims.
“The way news about a banned drug and pornography literature has been published and projected seemed to be part of a conspiracy to tarnish the sanctity of the Haj and the 1.5 lakh Hajis who go for pilgrimage from India,” said Mohammad Salim Engineer, Secretary General of Jamaat e Islami.
While strongly condemning the miscievious advisory Muslim organisations advised the Ministry of External Affairs “to refrain from such uncivilized and hurtful steps and their improper publicity as it hurts sentiments of the Muslim community.”‘
The Haj Committee of India, a constituent of the Ministry of External Affairs in its advisory asked Haj pilgrims not to carry banned items like sexual stimulants like Viagra, sexual oils and creams and pornography literature. Advisory reflect that it is ageneral parctice among Indian.
In its 19-page Guidelines for Haj 1436 (H) – 2015, Haj Committee has included a section on Banned Items and Other Restrictions. The section has eight subsections. The subsection no. (ii) reads: “The import of Khash-khash, Viagara-tablets, Sexual oil and cream, Synthetic Capore, Cystone, Khammera, Gutkha, Khaini, Gul, Pipermint or narcotics in any form into the KSA is banned. All the pilgrims are, therefore, advised in their own interest not to carry these items. Officials at Embarkation Points are authorized to stop carriage of banned / restricted items mentioned above.”
The subsection no. (iii) reads: “Government of Saudi Arabia has banned carrying all political literature, photographs or pornographic material of any kind while visiting Saudi Arabia for Haj. Violation of these instructions, will invite severe punishment from Saudi Government.”