India raises protest against travel advisories' language

Foreign Affairs Minister S M Krishna has asked Australia to withdraw issuance of advisory for tourists to India.

Taking serious note of the travel advisories against it, India on Wednesday raised the issue with Australia, New Zealand and Canada asking them to withdraw issuance of such notices which have “disproportionate” language and were contrary to the current tourist trend. Minister of External Affairs S M Krishna, who is here to attend the CHOGM Foreign Ministers Meeting, held talks with his Australian, Kiwi and Canadian counterparts and raised the issue in detail, official sources told PTI. Krishna asked his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd to withdraw issuance of travel advisory for tourists travelling to India. “The language in advisory is rather disproportionate and contrary to the current trend of tourism to India,” he told Rudd. Responding to Krishna, Rudd said such advisories were “routine” advice and “we do not have any information of any specific threat to share with India”.

Meanwhile, during Krishna’s meetings with his Kiwi counterpart Murray McCully, New Zealand assured it will look into the matter, sources said. McCully said the advisory was meant to make his citizens aware to avoid all rallies and demonstrations.

Interestingly, Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird during meeting invoked the name of Bollywood star Akshay Kumar and said it had not issued any warnings of threat in India.

“We also celebrate Diwali. Akshay Kumar, Bollywood star is known to me... We have only encouraged Canadians travelling or residing in India to maintain vigilance, follow advice of local authorities and excercise caution around religious sites,” sources quoted Baird as telling Krishna. The meetings on the sidelines of the CHOGM comes in the wake of many countries, including US and Australia, issuing travel advisories to their citizens and New Delhi taking serious note of the issue, maintaining such notices do not reflect the reality and have adverse affect on the tourism to the country.