Basu stands by Asok advice to tourists – Visitor flow pressure on Morcha

Calcutta, May 2: Jyoti Basu today endorsed the hill affairs minister’s advice to tourists not to visit the Darjeeling hills this summer. [Inset: Morcha members on a fast in front of the district magistrate’s office in Darjeeling on Friday. Picture by Suman Tamang]

“How can they (tourists) go there? It’s becoming an increasingly difficult situation (in the hills). They (Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supporters) are creating trouble, staging hunger strikes and trying to change the number plates of cars,’’ Basu said after the CPM state secretariat meeting today.

The Morcha has been demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland.

Recalling the days of the Gorkhaland movement of the 1980s led by Subash Ghisingh, Basu said: “Around a hundred people had died. The situation has not become so grim yet.”

Observers said Basu’s approval of Asok Bhattacharya’s comments indicates the party’s eagerness to act tough with the Morcha.

“The advisory is likely to impact the flow of tourists to the hills, which in turn will hit the Morcha’s support base. We hope this development will pressure the Morcha into rethinking its tactics,’’ a CPM state secretariat member said.

CPM mouthpiece Ganashakti today carried reports blaming the Morcha for the “fewer number of tourists” in the hills this year.

The report blamed Morcha-sponsored bandhs and its threats to close down power plants for the downtrend. It also accused the Morcha protesters of harassing tourists.

Bhattacharya alleged that separatist outfits were endorsing the Morcha’s disruptive activities and iterated his advice to tourists not to go to Darjeeling this season.

“I have said it earlier and I will say it again — I sincerely request tourists not to go to Darjeeling this summer. The situation is far from normal, and the risk is too great,” said Bhattacharya.

Describing the “request” as “sad” Suresh Periwal, the president of the Eastern Himalayan Travel and Tour Operators’ Association, said in Siliguri: “It is very unfortunate that the comment comes from a minister. Such remarks will create panic. This may cause irreparable damage to the tourism industry, which has so far not reacted very adversely to the disturbance.”

On Wednesday, Bhattacharya had accused the Morcha of trying to import their turmoil to Siliguri and its surrounding areas. “We shall not let that happen. The Morcha’s attempts to include Siliguri in their separatist movement will not be tolerated. Gorkhaland is an impossible dream,” Bhattacharya said. [The Telegraph]