Any attempt by the western media to sensationalise and disturb the peaceful coexistence will have security ramifications: President PCC

Port Blair, Sept. 9: The Pradesh Congress Committee has strongly condemned the news item which appeared in western media painting A & N Administration in a negative and misguided manner.

In a communication, the PCC President, Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma said, “In a spirit of democratic freedom and free press we have so far tolerated the vilification and maligning of the islands for the so called exploitation of aboriginal tribes, but we are now compelled to react because certain self serving institutions and individuals have refused to appreciate the truth as well as facts and chosen to continue to sensationalise for their own gains, of certain natural aspects of tribal life.  The whimsical news item “Human Safari may be banned but still tourists flock in the Andaman Islands”, which appeared in The Guardian deserves outright condemnation”. 

Sharma further said that the article is highly biased and ignores many facts to suit the journalist’s personal and highly perverse view. The report has chosen to over look the fact that due to the policy of protection and preservation of the Jarawa population being implemented by the administration, their population has increased from 240 in 2001 to 406 (about 60% increase) in 2010, which is much higher than the general increase of population of the islands. 

The report has also overlooked that majority of the tourists visiting the islands do not go to Lime Stone Cave.  The islands are having beautiful beaches and majority of tourists come to see the natural beauty, rich marine life and flora and fauna of the islands.

Lime Stone caves are also popular like caves in Europe, Canada and Australia, which attract millions of visitors every year.  Running down a geological tourism spot in vested interest is not an objective tourism. Further, only 6% people passing through Andaman Trunk Road, are tourists, remaining being the local people, their relatives, friends and supplies from Port Blair to North and Middle Andaman and vice versa. 

There are 25000 people living near the tribal reserve area who were settled by the Central Government and the administration has been performing a very difficult and delicate task of balancing the interest of the aboriginal tribes as well as the settlers in the area as also on the ATR up to North Andaman.

The PCC President also said that the islands are strategically located and any attempt by the western media to sensationalise and disturb the peaceful coexistence will have security ramifications. We understand that serious action is being contemplated by the administration against those persons from the islands who are supporting such unscrupulous institutions. 

Sharma has appealed to the public to not to get dismayed from such sensationalised propaganda of some vested interests who are trying to get the ATR closed to curtail the movement of people and supplies and to create hardships for over 1.5 lakh people settled in the area. 

“ATR is the lifeline of the people of the Andaman Islands, and its construction after detailed deliberations was a conscious decision and the matter is presently subjudice in the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India”, said the President PCC.