Guwahati: The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) are perturbed to witness that tourist carrying vehicles from Assam, both of private and commercial registration, are being stopped at several places in Meghalaya and denied entry to the state.Under the aegis of North East Students’ Organization (NESO), the AASU and the KSU have discussed the issue with utter seriousness. While discussing the same, the KSU states that the organisation is not aware of any such incident of stopping vehicles from Assam and it firmly does not conform to any such initiative. Tourists and the tourist vehicles ferrying tourists from Assam should come to Meghalaya without any worry or agony. However, it is pertinent for both the governments of Assam and Meghalaya to have thorough dialogue on the issue and solve the same permanently. Similarly, tourists’ taxis associations from both states are requested to maintain cordial relationship and a spirit of common understanding. The KSU will take positive initiative in this regard.
The AASU president Utpal Sarma, general secretary Sankor Jyoti Barua and the KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar, general secretary Donald v Thabah have stated in a joint press release that Assam and Meghalaya are two neighbouring states. It has been a constant endeavour of the AASU and the KSU to strengthen friendly relation among the people Assam and Meghalaya as both states are being plagued with the same problem of infiltration of illegal foreigners. AASU & KSU have always supported each other in their quest for survival and protection of indigenous Assamese & Khasis since time immemorial in both the states. We are committed to continue this affirmative effort.
Tour operators body in Meghalaya stated, “We, the immediate stakeholders in the tourism industry strongly condemn the unfortunate incident that happened this morning where tourists and travellers have been illegally stopped from proceeding to the various tourist spots in Sohra and Dawki region by so called NGO/pressure group. As you are aware, the tourism industry in the state has reached its momentum in the last few years and today’s single incident has affected the arduous work that we as stakeholders have built up over the years”.
The body added, “For your information, today’s incident has created a loss of 30% of the accommodation bookings apart from revenue generated by indirect stakeholders apart from the fact that we expect another 50% cancellation of tours and activities from tomorrow onwards as news of this incident has travelled rapidly all over the country. We, the tourism stakeholders, are in a state of shock to observe that various local NGOs/Pressure groups are having a free run in the State and behaving like the government. We the undersigned, strongly urge the concerned NGOs/Pressure groups to refrain from such embarrassing & illegal acts of intimidation to tourists and travellers who are in no way involved in the politics of the state. Today’s single action by NGOs/Pressure groups has affected years of building the tourism industry which shall take some time to regain normalcy and also affected the direct and indirect stakeholders who have invested in the tourism industry”.
The organisations stated, “We have been mere silent spectators on the various issues of lawlessness in and around Shillong and Ri Bhoi areas which have resulted in violence and intimidation of workers who are involved in tourism infrastructure works. These incidents of lawlessness have reached a level that even the tourists visiting the state today were not even spared. Another fallout of the above, is the recent Advisory of the US Government warning their citizens against visiting Meghalaya – this does not result in discouraging the US tourists only but gives a loud message to all foreign as well as domestic tourists desiring to visit Meghalaya”.The Tourism Stakeholders vehemently condemn all the above atrocities and acts of intimidation and violence and request for immediate and urgent restoration of normalcy and action as per law upon the individuals/organizations responsible for the prevailing lawlessness in order to restore faith in the tourists visiting the state as well as the entire Tourism Sector. “We the undersigned take this opportunity to apologize on behalf of the peace-loving people of Meghalaya for any inconvenience caused to their travel plans and we urge them to visit Meghalaya again.”At least 10 pro-ILP activists were arrested after they tried to prevent tourists from visiting Sohra and Dawki in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills district on Friday. Tourist inflow to Sohra and Dawki was briefly affected on Friday when the pro-ILP activists belonging to Hynniewtrep National Youth Front tried to prevent some tourists coming from Assam from visiting these places.
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