New Delhi, June 9
As tensions mount over the continuing attacks on Indian students in Australia, New Delhi has thought it appropriate to defer its special tourism promotion plans Down Under, while Union Tourism Minister Kumari Selja, who was to attend the promotional programmes there, has called off her visit.

The tourism ministry had planned to organise special roadshows in several Australian cities in July to hard sell India as an attractive adventure tourism destination.

The ministry has, however, decided to defer its proposed programme in the light of the relentless attacks on Indian students which have created a deep suspicion between the local population and the Indians. Since relations between the two communities are going through a rough patch, the ministry felt it was not the right time to promote India as an attractive tourist destination.

“We feel the present environment is not conducive for such a promotion...we will wait till tempers cool on both sides and then plan this programme,” remarked a senior tourism ministry official, adding that the roadshows may not yield the desired results at this stage.

The roadshows for marketing India as a safe and attractive tourism destination were launched earlier this year after the global meltdown and the Mumbai terror attacks hit tourist arrivals here. A series of roadshows have been held over the past four months in Europe, Japan, West Asia, United States of America, China, Korea and Canada with tour operators and the hotel industry holding out the promise of attractive discounts and special offers.

The focus of the proposed roadshow Down Under was on adventure tourism as Australian visitors known to favour a sporty vacation, showing a preference for river rafting, trekking and mountaineering. Tourism ministry officials said Australia was among the top ten tourism markets for India.

The recent spate of attacks on Indian students is threatening to spoil this story even as tourist arrivals to India are showing signs of picking up. Although foreign tourist arrivals recorded a negative growth rate last November as compared to the corresponding month the previous year, there has been a gradual improvement since then. While new markets in countries like Scandanavia are to be tapped, the Visit India Year, which was originally to sign off this year-end, has now been extended till next March. “Over a period of time the impact of the global meltdown and the terrorist attacks is tapering off. We have made concerted efforts to tell the world that India is a safe destination and their fears about security here are unfounded,” said Selja.

New Delhi, June 9
The Congress has decided to play down the issue regarding the arrest of senior NCP leader Padamsinh Patil. In a carefully worded and rather muted response, the Congress on Monday termed the entire episode as NCP’s “individual matter”. Specifying that it was for the NCP to decide whether to take or not take action against its senior party member, the Congress also maintained that the issue would not affect the relationship between two alliance partners.

The response comes in the wake of a theory doing rounds in political circles that the entire episode had been stage managed by the Congress to corner NCP chief Sharad Pawar to either ensure a better deal for the Congress in the coming Assembly elections in Maharshtra or even use it as an excuse to break away and go alone as had been the demand of senior state Congress leader and Union Heavy Industries Minister Vilasrao Deshmukha and former Union Minister Balasaheb Vikhe Patil.

However, choosing to sidestep the issue, Deshmukh said it was for the NCP to decide whether Padamsinh Patil should resign from Parliament. Responding on whether the senior NCP leader should resign from Parliament following his arrest by the CBI, Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said it was for the NCP to decide on the issue as NCP’s image was involved in the matter

“It is purely an individual matter. It has nothing to do with the relationship between the Congress and NCP,” he said, asserting hat both NCP chief and senior party leader Praful Patel had said that law would take its own course. On whether the then NCP Home Minister RR Patil was responsible for not acting against Pademsinh Patil, Ahmed said there were hundreds of cases where the state government and the CBI had different opinions.

While the Congress and the NCP have an alliance in Maharashtra it is a partnership which is under lot of duress. Riding on the party’s good performance in the Lok Sabha polls, there are views within the Congress leadership that the party should go alone in Maharashtra Assembly polls. Which is why the timing of the arrest, close to Assembly polls, is being questioned.

New Delhi, June 9
Trinamool Congress members top the list of MPs enjoying five-star transit accommodation on government expenses in the capital. Among the 55 MPs, put up by the Lok Sabha housing branch at a luxury hotel on the Kautilya Marg until regular accommodation is provided to them, about seven are from TMC alone.

The list features Mamata Banerjee’s celebrity brigade led by actors Shatabdi Roy and Tapas Pal; also in the category is Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi and TMC’s aggressive MPs Sudip Bandopadhyay, Somen Mitra and Sultan Ahmad.

Some of the other party MPs lodged in luxury suites -- they also function as offices -- are former cricketer Azharuddin, Congress leader CPN Singh’s son RPN Singh, Jharkhand’s turncoat MP Inder Singh Namdhari, Congress’ Jodhpur royal Chandresh Kumari, NC’s Baramulla MP Sharifuddin Shariq (who defeated separatist leader Sajjad Lone) and BJP’s Ashok Argal, who engineered the cash-for-vote scam by wading currency notes in the well of the 14th Lok Sabha.

With most of the 319 old MPs who lost the election holding on to their government houses (26 have cited medical reasons and sought more time to vacate), 364 newly elected members are awaiting their turn in transit lodges. As per figures available, 178 members of the last Lok Sabha have been re-elected, so they need not vacate their houses. But the rest -- 319 -- have been served notices for vacation, and asked to find an alternative accommodation by June 18.

Lok Sabha sources, however, admit that getting houses vacated from unelected MPs is a Herculean task, which could at times take four to six months. Till then, the government has to foot the bill of elected MPs’ transit accommodation. It is this time paying Rs 4,500 per night (sans food) hotel charges and Rs 1,000 per night for stay at state guest houses.

Normally, only the wealthy ones end up in hotels, where a cup of tea costs around Rs 100, while most prefer guest house accommodation. Interestingly, among five-star lodgers in the capital this time is Congress’ Bhakta Charan Das, MP from Kalahandi, a place known for starvation deaths.

So far, the urban development ministry has spent over Rs 2.5 lakh on the stay of 55 MPs in a local hotel; another Rs 2 lakh has been spent on guest house accommodations.

The cost could go up, considering the Lok Sabha house committee is yet to be reconstituted, with Congress’ JP Agarwal set to head it. All requests for accommodation would have to be cleared by the committee, which gets all sorts of requests -- like one-time MPs seeking bungalow accommodations, normally reserved for three or four term members.

The most favoured residential areas are those close to Janpath and Akbar Road, where ministers reside. About 50 per cent requests are for residences on Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Road, Ashok Road, Ferozeshah Road and Shahjahan Road. Few MPs prefer North and South Avenues, Victor Bhai Patel House and Meena Bagh, meant for one and two-term members.

New Delhi, June 9
The BJP, bitten by a series of stings and scams in the 14th Lok Sabha, is acting with care and caution in this 15th Lok Sabha. BJP parliamentary party leader L.K. Advani dwelt at length here today on the dangers facing first time MPs in the nation’s capital and how to face such pressures, said deputy leader of BJP parliamentary party Sushma Swaraj, after the first meeting of the parliamentary party since the first session of the 15th Lok Sabha commenced.

She said since there are 50 per cent, to be exact 58, MPs in the BJP who are first timers, they need to be introduced to the code of conduct.

Sushma said, Advani told the new members, “You represent 12-14 lakh people of this country and you should be proud of that. Use this opportunity to serve the people. Sometime our MPs unknowingly and at other even wilfully behave in a manner which brings a bad name to them and the party as well. Sometime even small things they do spoils their and the party’s image,” Sushma said, quoting Advani.

He also forewarned the members that certain facilities like housing and travel provided to them are restricted to them and their immediate family members but sometime some members use these to improve their financial position. “For instance the house allotted to you is to be used only by you and your family members and not to be let out.”

He also warned members against the various touts and lobbyists hanging around the capital out to exploit the first-time MPs. “People send cars to the airport to pick you up and thus enter your close circle and eventually they misuse your letter head by making all kinds of demands on your behalf and cause you and the party immense embarrassment.

“Similarly various lobbyists encircle you. Initially, they pretend to help you out in framing parliamentary questions, but eventually they are misusing you,” said Advani according to Sushma.

She also said the BJP planned a proper camp to educate the first time MPs and forewarn them.

In the 14th Lok Sabha, BJP MPs were caught in each scam and sting operation. There were those who were misusing their travel and diplomatic status to indulge in human smuggling abroad like Babubhai Katara. Then there were others caught in the cash for querry scam. A third set were caught in the MPLADS scam and yet others were named for letting out their residential premises.

Naturally, then the BJP is most concerned about forewaring its members.

Kolkata, June 9
The Left front committee at its meeting today accused the Railways Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee of hampering relief and rehabilitation works in Aila-affected areas.

The members demanded that the Aila-crisis in West Bengal should be declared as a national calamity and the Centre should accordingly provide assistance. Left front chairman, Biman Bose, who is also the CPM state secretary, alleged that TMC workers was unnecessarily obstructing the relief and rehabilitation works in the affected areas. — TNS