ஹஜ் சென்றால் மானியம். கும்பமேளா சென்றால் வரி!

ஹஜ் யாத்திரை சென்றால் அரசாங்கமே பணம் கொடுத்து அனுப்பி வைக்குமாம். ஆனால் கும்பமேளா சென்றால் இந்து திம்மிகளுக்கு வரி விதித்து பணம் கறக்கிறது மன்மோகன் சிங்க் அரசாங்கம்.

இந்திய செக்குலரிசம் மதச்சார்பின்மை கொடி கட்டி பறக்கிறது.



Court questions rail surcharge on Kumbh pilgrims

IANS

Lucknow, Jan 28 : Citing the subsidy given to Haj pilgrims, a recently floated Hindu Personal Law Board has moved the Allahabad High Court seeking its intervention in getting free rail passes for poor pilgrims and a 50 percent concession to all others going to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela that is on in Haridwar now.

"The present policy of the government is discriminatory and in violation of the provisions of the Indian Constitution which disallows any discrimination on religious lines," the board's counsel Ashok Pandey said.

A division bench of the court here directed the railway administration to submit the circular whereby the surcharge was being levied by the Indian Railways on pilgrims travelling to Haridwar for the Maha Kumbh Mela.

According to the pubic interest litigation (PIL) moved Wednesday: "The railway administration are charging a surcharge ranging from Rs.3 to Rs.15 per ticket from every rail traveller going to Haridwar during the Kumbh Mela period."

Board secretary V.L. Misra told reporters here Thursday: "Since the local railway administration refused to provide us a copy of the circular, we urged the honourable court to direct them to submit a copy directly to the court."

The Court has fixed Feb 3 for the next hearing.