Congress Slams US Advisory For Citizens Travelling To India

With the US issuing an advisory for its citizens travelling to India, the Congress on Tuesday claimed that it "maligns" the country and demanded that the government should register its protest as well as take a stern view of this at the highest level.

The opposition party also claimed that the Narendra Modi government's foreign policy has completely "fallen flat".

The US has issued an advisory for its citizens travelling to India, urging "increased caution" due to crime and rape, and advising them not to travel to certain parts of central and eastern parts of the country due to terrorism.

The travel advisory issued last week states that "rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India" and violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations. It added that terrorists, who target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls and government facilities, may attack with little or no warning.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress' Indira Bhawan headquarters here, party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the reality is that the US has issued a travel advisory of Level 2 and has advised its women, especially, not to travel alone to India, citing various cases of rapes.

"It also goes on to say that various kinds of crimes, incidents of violence and terror attacks can happen in India. It very categorically mentions that American officials will need permission from the government before their travel to India... This kind of advisory is being issued for India, which will have far-reaching impact on our standing," she said.

"However, nothing of this kind of advisory has been issued for Pakistan, which is a terror country, housing terrorists such as Masood Azhar, Hafiz Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim, etc., they are being provided protection by Pakistan. On the contrary, an advisory is being issued against us while Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir is being invited to enjoy a meal with US President Trump, who has, in turn, hyphenated India and Pakistan," Shrinate said.

She said it is highly objectionable that the Indian prime minister and Pakistan's Army Chief are being hyphenated.

The reality is that in the last 11 years, Prime Minister Modi has spent a disproportionate amount of time pursuing foreign powers, she said.

"From enforceable hugs to 'Howdy Modi', 'Namaste Trump', and 'Ab Ki Baar Trump Sarkaar', to going to the US uninvited. He has done everything possible, and look at what America is doing to us," she said.

"At a time when we need large nations of the world to stand with us, America is issuing travel advisories against us and citing incidents that pertain to the rest of the world. But this really maligns us, and what is the government doing about it? Absolutely nothing. Pin drop silence like always," Shrinate said.

The reality is that Trump has taken credit for the "ceasefire" between India and Pakistan 17 times, she said.

"He (Trump) imposed tariffs on us. He called us an abuser and a fraud. He has put our people in handcuffs and sent them back to India. He is constantly insulting us, and our government chooses to keep quiet. The question arises: what is the cornerstone of our foreign policy? It is to keep India's interest above all," Shrinate said.

"But Mr Modi's foreign policy is to get the right camera angle so that he is shot from the good camera angle wherever he is in the world. Our foreign minister is too busy making reels with laser red eyes. So who do you expect to pursue foreign policy from?" she asked.

Shrinate said she has no qualms in admitting and saying that on one hand, travel advisories are being issued against us but nothing on Pakistan, while "we are completely mute spectators".

"We don't say a word! There are certain aspects which travel advisories have raised which are obviously troublesome, and we should find solutions to them. We should ensure our women are safe, and if every hour, 43 women face a crime against them, then questions will and must be raised," she said.

She claimed the foreign front, the Modi government's foreign policy has completely "fallen flat".

"At a time when we need allies to stand with us, they are issuing travel advisories against us. A travel advisory is very damning, and it impacts the number of tourists that will visit India, the funds generated by tourism, and the level of investments associated with those sectors. So these are very damning advisories. Yet, the Modi government is absolutely silent," she said.

"Therefore, we demand that the Indian government should register its protest and take a stern view of this advisory at the highest level. It is not in good faith, this is not good for our country, and it shows the doublespeak of the US. On one hand you are issuing advisories against us but nothing on Pakistan," Shrinate said.

The US advisory issued on June 16 also tells US citizens not to travel to parts of Central and East India "due to terrorism".

"Maoist extremist groups, or 'Naxalites', are active in a large area of India that spans from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal,” the advisory said.

US government employees working in India are required to obtain permission prior to travel to most areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Odisha. It said permission is not required for the capital of these states.