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| Baisakhi rendezvous: Jammu Mela 'highjacked' for political motives? | | |
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Apr 14: The State Tourism Department may well be feeling upbeat about having kick started its novel project aimed at promoting Border Tourism in the state even when the basic infrastructure has not yet come up, but this "Border rendezvous" which marked the beginning of Baisakhi Mela has only proved to be an exercise in futility rather a wastage attempt in terms of meeting its basic objective.
It indeed served the "political purpose" for the major political ally of the coalition Congress as some leaders of the party were keen to see that Mela gets organised at their 'choicest' places.
The organizing of Baisakhi Mela at places outside Jammu this time has only proved this fact that political will prevails on any and every decision of the government departments, no matter the things are relevant or ripe for the events and no matter whether the huge funds spent will yield any results on the lines for which these were earmarked.
Well placed sources said that changing the venues for Baisakhi Mela which has come to be seen as a great event in Jammu in terms of promotion of tourism, has a political reason though the authorities concerned in the Department have different reasons to attribute for this sudden change.
Sources said one group of Congress (state Congress leaders are divided in two factions) prevailed upon the Department for this 'change' this year for twin political purpose. One that these leaders, who were present in the Suchetgarh show and also today at Akhnoor celebrations, wanted the extension of tourism promotion schemes to their political constituencies so that under these projects these areas get boost for development. However, there is more beyond this simple and seemingly genuine political aspiration of political leaders. If sources are to be believed, a section of the Congress leaders loyalists of the faction led by J&K PCC chief Prof Saif-u-Din Soz wanted change in venue of Jammu Mela to undo what can be termed as initial concept of Jammu tourism promotion started during the tenure of the former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
It is pertinent to mention here that Baisakhi Mela came to be organised on a large scale with unprecedented promotional avenues incorporating the promotion of culture and rich traditions of Jammu only 3 years back. Its main concentration of events were in and around Jammu, with involvement of scores of NGOs, other government departments in highlighting folk dances, music besides Dogri food and cuisine and giving filip to the existing places of tourism attraction in Jammu mainly Raghunath temple and Bahu Fort, both favorite jaunts of the pilgrim tourists. The Jammu Mela as it had been christened coinciding with Baisakhi festival, some critics say has been diluted and high jacked this year, all for fulfilling political motives.
"There is nothing wrong in promoting border tourism but it is relevant actually in present situation........moreover the idea of diverting tourists as a compulsive measure will not bear any fruit untill a complete exercise in terms of establishing basic infrastructure comes up at Suchegarh", said a Congress leader wishing not to be named. Even some officials are conceding that Suchetgarh Border show did not click and Mela 'vanished' within hours of inauguration. "The expenditure has gone down the drain", said one of the officials. The Suchetgarh border tourism can show some positive and desired impact in terms of huge participation of pilgrim tourists when the route connecting Pakistan (Sialkot) gets through, he said adding that the concept is still in infancy and will take some time until implemented for result oriented outcome.
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