India, April 17 -- Union minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday asked the Opposition to not play politics over the country losing out slots for the annual Haj pilgrimage because private operators missed Saudi Arabia's deadline.

In a post on X, the minister also asked the operators to complete the formalities within the new deadline to avail the quota for 10,000 Haj pilgrims that was granted by Saudi Arabia as a special gesture due to the "excellent relations" between the two countries.

"Pls don't play politics with religious Hajj issue," Rijiju said, with naming Opposition leaders who have asked the government to protect the interests of Indian pilgrims after the country lost out more than 52,500 slots for the annual pilgrim...