New Delhi [India], February 18 (ANI): Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday participated in the fitness awareness programme organised for Haj pilgrims at Jamia Millia Islamia University in the national capital.

Praising the programme, the union minister advocated for helping anyone who is planning to take the Haj pilgrimage with fitness.

'A very large number of people from India go for Haj pilgrimage. For which it is very important to have good health. Delhi Haj Committee has made a very good arrangement...It is very important to provide fitness training for this (Haj pilgrimage),' he told reporters.

The union minister also talked about other initiatives taken for the Haj pilgrimage, including increasing the medical teams which will be sent with the people, elderly people getting an assistant to help them and increasing the embarkation points, among other things.

'Lakhs of people from India go for Haj. Last month I have come back from Saudi Arabia after seeing the arrangements made by you people. You should not face any kind of problem. This time it will be very hot during Haj and there will be humidity. For this, you should do whatever you want to prepare,' Rijiju said.

Talking about increasing the quota for Haj pilgrims next year, the minister said, 'Our country is the country with the highest number of Muslims in the world. This time we have a quota of 1,75,000. We have said that we will increase it next time.'

'The flight fare for Haj is high from many places. We have said that we will make as many embarkation points as possible,' he added.

The minister also mentioned the help senior citizens will get, including getting more medical teams for everyone and an assistant given to them.

'This time, the senior citizens who are going will also have an assistant with them and we have increased the number of medical teams,' Rijiju said.

He also hoped that the Haj committee of every state will organise similar programs to how the Delhi Haj committee organised the program at Jamia university.

The Chairperson of Delhi state Haj Committee, and BJP leader Kausar Jahan also thanked the minister for participating in the event which promotes fitness to people. The event saw a participation of around 450 people.

'Physical fitness plays a major in the Haj Pilgrimage. We have organised this programme to spread awareness of physical fitness among the Haj pilgrims. I am thankful to Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, who participated in this event,' Jahan told ANI.

The Haj is one of the world's largest religious gatherings and the major annual event in Saudi Arabia. It is considered one of the five pillars of Islam.

The pilgrimage consists of various elaborate rites, such as wearing unique clothing that represents human equality and unity before God, a round, counter-clockwise march around the Kaaba, and the symbolic stoning of wickedness. People who have completed the pilgrimage might add the words al-Haj or hajji (pilgrim) to their names.

This year, the Hajj pilgrimage will take place from June 4 to June 9. (ANI)