The state’s Minority Department cites neglect of the seven-storey Haj House and potential revenue generation
NEW DELHI — The Aala Hazrat Haj House in Ghaziabad, meant to serve thousands of pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, has now come under the scanner of the Yogi Adityanath-led government. Officials from the state’s Minority Department have put forward a proposal to convert the building into a guest house, citing its poor condition and lack of present use.
Muslims in the state have expressed strong anger at the decision, saying that a space created to serve the religious and community needs of pilgrims is now being reduced to a source of money-making.
“This Haj House was built with the tax money of the people, it belongs to the Muslim community and the pilgrims of this state. Turning it into a guest house for rich functions is an insult to our faith,” said Mohammad Arif, a resident of Ghaziabad.
The foundation of the Aala Hazrat Haj House was laid in 2005 by the Samajwadi Party government under Mulayam Singh Yadav. It was completed and inaugurated in 2016 by Akhilesh Yadav, with the aim of giving proper facilities to pilgrims leaving for Haj from Uttar Pradesh.
The seven-storey building has the capacity to house around 1,886 pilgrims. It also had facilities for vaccination, health check-ups, and preparation before embarking on the holy journey. For many Muslims, it represented dignity and respect from the state towards their faith.
“Every year thousands of people used to gather here with hope and prayer before leaving for the holy land. It was not just a building, it was part of our spiritual journey,” explained Haji Shafiq from Meerut.
Officials from the Minority Department argue that the Haj House has been neglected in recent years. A report claims that the building is dilapidated, with broken gates, missing glass, and even lights being stolen. At present, only a security guard is posted at the site.
Based on this report, the Yogi government is considering renovating the building under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). The proposal suggests converting it into a guest house where events can be held, charging between three to four lakh rupees for each function.
“The government is only looking at money. They want to beautify the place and then hand it over for business purposes. But this was not why the Haj House was built,” said Advocate Shakeel Ahmad, a community leader in Ghaziabad.
The decision has left many Muslims questioning whether their needs and rights are being sidelined by the state government. Several leaders have pointed out that when mosques and madrasas were raising the national flag on Independence Day, the government was preparing to take away a space linked with the community’s most sacred journey.
“Why is it that every institution connected to Muslims is being targeted? From madrasas to mosques and now Haj Houses, this is a pattern of exclusion. Our religious identity is being attacked,” said Maulana Imran, an imam in Ghaziabad.
Community members also fear that once the building is converted, poor pilgrims will no longer have access to it. “Who will pay lakhs of rupees for a stay? This is not for us, it is for the elite class. The government wants to shut the door on ordinary Muslims,” said Afsana Begum, a social worker from Lucknow.
The move has also sparked political debate. While the BJP government is presenting the plan as an attempt to make use of an “unused” building, opposition voices accuse the government of deliberately targeting Muslim institutions.
A former Samajwadi Party MLA remarked, “The Haj House was created by our government for the service of pilgrims. The BJP is now converting it into a guest house. This is part of their policy to erase Muslim symbols.”
For now, the proposal has not been formally implemented, but the debate has already caused tension. Muslim organisations are preparing to protest if the government moves ahead with the plan.
“Our demand is simple – repair the Haj House, restore its dignity, and reopen it for pilgrims. We will not allow it to be converted into a banquet hall for the rich,” declared Haji Jameel, head of a local Haj committee.
The Aala Hazrat Haj House stands as a reminder of a promise once made to Muslim citizens of Uttar Pradesh. Whether it will remain a place of service for pilgrims or become a commercial guest house is a question that has now become deeply political and emotional for the state’s Muslims.
