CM Shivakumar Urges Jaishankar to Rescue 600+ Stranded Karnataka Pilgrims
Synopsis
Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has formally written to EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar urging urgent intervention to repatriate over 600 Karnataka Umrah pilgrims stranded in Makkah and Madina, Saudi Arabia, amid flight disruptions, requesting special flights and interim relief.
Key Takeaways
Over 600 Karnataka pilgrims are stranded in Makkah and Madina, Saudi Arabia due to flight disruptions during their Umrah pilgrimage.
Shivakumar has written a formal letter to Union Minister for External Affairs Dr.
Jaishankar seeking urgent diplomatic intervention.
The CM has requested coordination with Indian diplomatic missions and Saudi authorities, facilitation of special flights , and provision of food, accommodation and interim assistance for the stranded pilgrims.
The Government of Karnataka has stated it stands ready to extend all necessary cooperation to the Centre.
The Ministry of External Affairs holds jurisdiction over consular welfare and repatriation, making Jaishankar's response the critical next step.
More than 600 Karnataka residents performing the Umrah pilgrimage are stranded in the holy cities of Makkah and Madina, Saudi Arabia, after flight disruptions left them unable to return home — and Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is now calling on the full weight of India's diplomatic machinery to bring them back safely.
The Letter to Jaishankar: What Shivakumar Is Asking For
In a formal letter to Union Minister for External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, CM Shivakumar has urged the Ministry to coordinate urgently with Indian diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia and Saudi authorities to resolve the situation. The Chief Minister has specifically requested the facilitation of special flights wherever necessary to repatriate the pilgrims, and asked that adequate food, accommodation and interim financial assistance be arranged for those still waiting. The Chief Minister's Office of Karnataka shared the development on Friday, October 23, 2026, calling the safety, dignity and well-being of the pilgrims the government's 'foremost concern.'
Why This Lands on the MEA's Desk
India's constitutional framework places all matters of external affairs — including consular welfare and citizen repatriation — firmly with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi, not state governments. That is precisely why Shivakumar has written directly to Jaishankar: Karnataka can signal political will and offer ground-level cooperation, but only the MEA can instruct Indian missions in Jeddah and Riyadh to move and can open a channel with Saudi aviation and immigration authorities.
The MEA has well-established frameworks for exactly these situations. During previous logistical crises affecting Indian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, the ministry has coordinated with host authorities and airlines to arrange alternative flights and interim relief — a playbook it may now activate for this group.
Over 600 Pilgrims, an Unresolved Disruption
The Umrah pilgrimage — a voluntary Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah and Madina distinct from the obligatory Hajj — draws hundreds of thousands of Indian Muslims each year. Karnataka has a substantial Muslim population, and organised Umrah groups from the state travel regularly to Saudi Arabia. When flight schedules collapse, pilgrims can find themselves stranded without accommodation arrangements, adequate funds, or a clear timeline for departure — a situation Shivakumar's letter is pressing the Centre to address without delay.
Karnataka's Offer of Cooperation
The Chief Minister's Office was careful to frame the state's stance as a partnership rather than a demand, stating that the Government of Karnataka stands ready to extend all necessary cooperation to the Centre. It is a deliberate signal: Karnataka will facilitate logistics, communication, and support on the Indian end the moment the MEA secures a path home for the stranded pilgrims.
The ball is now in Dr. Jaishankar's court — and for 600-plus families waiting on news from Makkah and Madina, the clock is ticking.
Point of View
Visibly championing stranded Umrah pilgrims reinforces the Congress-led government's positioning on minority welfare. More broadly, the episode underscores a recurring structural gap: state governments organise or permit large pilgrim groups to depart but have no direct lever to pull when foreign travel collapses, leaving them dependent on MEA responsiveness. How swiftly Jaishankar's ministry responds will be watched as a measure of Centre-state coordination under the current political configuration.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Karnataka Umrah pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia?
The pilgrims are stranded due to flight disruptions, as stated in CM Shivakumar's letter to EAM Jaishankar. The specific cause of the disruptions has not been officially detailed.
What has CM Shivakumar asked the Centre to do for stranded pilgrims?
CM Shivakumar has asked EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar to coordinate with Indian diplomatic missions and Saudi authorities, arrange special flights where needed, and ensure food, accommodation and interim assistance for the over 600 stranded Karnataka pilgrims.
Who is handling the repatriation of Indian pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia?
The Ministry of External Affairs under Dr. S. Jaishankar is the competent authority, as external affairs and consular assistance fall under Central government jurisdiction. Karnataka CM Shivakumar has formally written to Jaishankar requesting urgent action.
How many Karnataka pilgrims are stranded in Makkah and Madina?
According to the Chief Minister's Office of Karnataka, over 600 Karnataka Umrah pilgrims are stranded in Makkah and Madina, Saudi Arabia.
What is Umrah and how is it different from Hajj?
Umrah is a voluntary Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah and Madina that can be undertaken at any time of year, unlike the obligatory Hajj which occurs during a specific Islamic month. Hundreds of thousands of Indian Muslims perform Umrah annually.
