Guwahati: Veteran journalist Patricia Mukhim has responded to criticism from Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma over her comments on tourism in Meghalaya, saying her article did not target Assam or any particular community.
The controversy followed Mukhim’s comments about tourists visiting Meghalaya. She said the state needed a sustainable tourism policy and criticised visitors who arrive in Shillong in the morning, spend little or nothing at local businesses and leave by evening.
She said such visits add to traffic congestion and leave behind carbon footprints without contributing much to the local economy.
Mukhim said tourists should instead be encouraged to spend quality time in Meghalaya, stay for a day or two and contribute to the local economy rather than treating tourist destinations as picnic spots.
Her comments drew criticism from Sarma, who said on Wednesday that some intellectuals in Meghalaya opposed tourists from Assam, while a larger section of people in the state welcomed them.
Speaking to the media in New Delhi, Sarma referred to Mukhim by name and said she was writing against Assam tourists in a manner that could incite people. He said there appeared to be two contrasting views in Meghalaya, with some people opposing visitors from Assam while others welcomed them, and linked this difference to tensions between the two states.
Sarma also said people in Assam had a strong affection for Shillong and suggested developing other tourist destinations within Assam. He named Diphu, Haflong and Umrangso as alternatives to Shillong and said the proposed airport at Umrangso had already been discussed with the central government.
Mukhim later clarified that her article, titled “Meghalaya Can Do Without Maggie Noodle Tourism”, was about the need for a sustainable tourism policy and did not name Assam or single out any particular group.
She said the issue was not about complaining against tourists but about the need for Meghalaya to determine how many visitors it could accommodate each day through a sustainable tourism policy.
Mukhim also questioned the portrayal of her article as being “anti-Assam”. She alleged that the narrative had been created because of a video in which one person was heard speaking a particular language, and questioned why an entire community should be held responsible for the actions of one or two people.
She criticised Sarma for connecting a social media post with an article she had written earlier, describing the response as “very unbecoming” of a chief minister.
Mukhim said responsibility for developing sustainable tourism lay primarily with the Meghalaya government and its Tourism Department. She said the department should consult tour operators as well as ordinary citizens affected by congestion and overcrowding.
On the possibility of the controversy worsening tensions between Assam and Meghalaya, Mukhim said social media disputes were generally short-lived as public attention quickly shifted to other issues.
She also called for dialogue between the Assam and Meghalaya governments to resolve outstanding border issues. At the same time, she opposed highway blockades, saying people should not be held to ransom through such disruptions.
Mukhim also faced questions on social media over her Padma Shri. She said she received the award for social work, particularly for her role in the Shillong We Care campaign against militancy.
Responding to those who questioned whether she deserved the honour, Mukhim said they could write to the Government of India and ask for the award to be taken away.
Mukhim said criticism was inevitable when writing about sensitive issues and maintained that she was not concerned about offending people through her views.