Assam urges UK, Australia to rectify travel advisory

Clubbing together Assam with some disturbed parts of the country is a careless oversight, Assam Tourism Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Tourism Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asked United Kingdom and Australia to immediately rectify their travel advisory to its citizens on Assam.

The clubbing together of Assam with some disturbed parts of the country and alluding to the state as a forbidden destination was a "careless oversight which must be immediately addressed to," Sarma said in a statement on Thursday.

"Assam is a fine abode of natural beauty and its peace loving people give immense love and affection to all those who come here. Any misrepresentation of the actual situation creates unnecessary fear and impacts the tourism potential of the state," he said.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) issued advisory to its citizens saying, "Although the overall security situation in the North-East of India is improving, some areas within the North-Eastern states, especially in Manipur and Assam, still experience sudden and random outbreaks of violence.

The minister said the law and order situation in Assam is "perfect and any fear or apprehension is unfounded".

The Australian advisory also urged travellers to reconsider their need to travel to these areas due to the "risk of armed robbery, kidnapping, extortion, and separatist and insurgent violence," including in rural areas.

"I wish to reassure my distinguished friends in the Governments of UK and Australia that Assam is a wonderful land of peace loving people comprising various tribal groups, rich flora and fauna, magnificent cuisines, mesmerizing landscapes and the world famous Kaziranga National Park, which is home to the very rare single horned Rhino, he said.

Assam will highly appreciate if the two country immediately withdraws the said advisory, Sarma added.