Salman Khurshid removed from Haj delegation

In a last-minute change, prime minister Manmohan Singh removed Union law and minority affairs minister Salman Khurshid from the official ‘goodwill Haj delegation’, and instead asked minister of state for external affairs E Ahmed to proceed to Saudi Arabia.

Ahmed left for Jeddah on Sunday and Indian envoy in Riyadh Hamid Ali Rao has been asked to join him as part of a two-member official Indian delegation to combine diplomacy and religious ritual. Ahmed earlier led the haj delegation in December 2006.

Sources close to Khurshid, who is embroiled in the controversy following a TV sting operation, however, told DNA that he had himself opted out of the tour in order to answer the IAC attacks, which is planning a rally in his Farrukhabad Lok Sabha constituency next month.

Khurshid’s decision to put off the haj visit also comes amid speculation of an impending reshuffle in the cabinet and also to scotch speculations that he was running away and seeking divine intervention.

Only a few days ago, Indian consulate in Jeddah had announced the visit of Khurshid as the head of Indian goodwill delegation for the 2012 haj. The two-member delegation is expected to visit pilgrims in Mecca and Madina to examine the facilities as well as arrangements.