AIMIM president Owaisi seeks Centre's help for Indian pilgrims stranded in Makkah, Madina to return home

Hyderabad: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday said 4,000 pilgrims from India are stuck in Makkah and Madina after airlines suspended flights to Saudi Arabian cities due to the security situation and urged the Centre to take measures for the pilgrims to return home.

He said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) must permit airlines to arrange flights in larger aircraft so that the stranded pilgrims can return to India.

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Otherwise, "specified flights" must be arranged to bring them back, he said.

He sought the intervention of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and other Union Ministers.

"The Indian pilgrims have been abandoned by their travel agents. This needs your urgent intervention; in the meanwhile necessary support must be provided to the stranded pilgrims," he said.

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He tagged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu

Ram Mohan Naidu, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in his post.