Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai attends Hajj kit distribution ceremony in Raipur
Raipur, April 26
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai attended the 'State-Level Haj Kit Distribution and Felicitation Ceremony' organised by the Chhattisgarh State Haj Committee in Raipur on Sunday.
The event was held at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Auditorium, where Hajj pilgrims were provided kits and felicitated ahead of their pilgrimage.
Earlier on April 22, Chief Imam of the All India Imam Organisation, Dr Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, congratulated pilgrims embarking on the Hajj and appreciated the arrangements made by the Uttar Pradesh government as well as the Union government.
Speaking to ANI, Ilyasi said, "I would like to congratulate all our pilgrims who have been allowed to undertake this Hajj pilgrimage today. I would like to congratulate all our pilgrims who have been allowed to undertake this Hajj pilgrimage today. I would like to congratulate our state's Chief Minister, Adiyanath Yogi. I appreciate the various arrangements made by our state governments and the central government.
""Today, I learned that for the first time, AI will be used in this Hajj pilgrimage. This is significant news globally. It is a significant fact that India is providing its pilgrims with all the facilities they need through AI. This year, 17,000 pilgrims are departing from Uttar Pradesh for the Hajj", he added.
In Islam, every individual must fulfil five duties (pillars), of which Hajj is one. The other four pillars are Shahada (faith declaration), Salah (daily prayer), Zakat (almsgiving), and Sawm (fasting in Ramadan).On April 18, the first batch of Hajj 2026, carrying 371 pilgrims, departed for Mecca from New Delhi, marking the commencement of the annual pilgrimage season from India.
The pilgrims left for Saudi Arabia from Indira Gandhi International Airport in the presence of Delhi Hajj Committee Chairperson Kausar Jahan.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see AI being used for Hajj this year. India leading in tech while preserving traditions. 17,000 pilgrims from UP alone shows the scale of this annual event.
Why is a Chief Imam commenting on UP government arrangements? This is a national event, not a state-specific one. But good that central government is facilitating the pilgrimage.
AI in Hajj management is a smart move - will help with crowd control, tracking pilgrims, and emergency response. India showing how tradition and technology can go hand in hand. Meanwhile in Chhattisgarh, CM attending this ceremony sends a strong message of inclusivity. Jai Hind 🇮🇳
The article says 'first batch of Hajj 2026' - is that a typo? Should be 2025 surely. Otherwise, nice to see state governments facilitating religious travel. My uncle went for Umrah last year and said the arrangements were excellent.
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