Chandrababu, Removing Benefits for Haj Pilgrims is Unjust

Kadapa, March 20: YSRCP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Amzad Basha criticized the coalition government for neglecting minority communities and discontinuing key welfare measures for Haj pilgrims.

Addressing the media on Thursday, he alleged that the government failed to renew the embarkation facility at Gannavaram Airport—an initiative secured through the efforts of former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in collaboration with the Centre.

Previously, Haj pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh had to travel to Hyderabad due to the lack of an embarkation facility within the state. However, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy successfully convinced the Centre to designate Gannavaram Airport as an embarkation point.

Despite this achievement, disparities in airfare remained, with tickets from Gannavaram costing ₹80,000 more than those from Hyderabad. To ease this burden, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s government covered the additional cost, ensuring financial relief for pilgrims. Although Haj travel was suspended for three years due to COVID-19 restrictions, the former Chief Minister later credited the reimbursement directly into the bank accounts of eligible pilgrims.

Basha further alleged that the coalition government failed to release last year’s reimbursement and remained silent when Gannavaram Airport was removed from the embarkation list. He accused Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of neglecting minorities, stating that welfare initiatives like the Shadi Tohfa scheme, promised by the government, were not implemented.