Amidst
terror threats, PM extends holiday
Sandesh Prabhudesai
31 December 2002
Prime
minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is expected to extend his holiday
in Goa by one more day. He is now expected to leave on 2 January.
The state security forces in the meanwhile are struggling
through to counter any possibility of terror attack, not by
harassing the freely moving tourists but only by stopping
them for regular checks at a few crucial joints along the
coastal belt.
Unlike in the past, Goa however looks really peaceful on
the eve of the New Year, with chilly weather adding its own
flavour to it this year. The regular festive spirit is however
not dampened and dances and parties are being arranged everywhere
with the same gusto, amidst little tension.
The prime minister's holiday since 29 December has also not
affected much as he has stayed at Taj Exotica in Benaulim
village of South Goa while the real tourist activity takes
place in the North, especially from Calangute to Anjuna beaches.
Except meeting state governor Kidar Nath Sahani as well as
state chief minister Manohar Parrikar, the PM has actually
stayed away from meeting even his cabinet colleagues who are
also holidaying in Goa or attending any function.
Besides playing with his grand children who are accompanying
him along with his foster daughter and son-in-law, Vajpayee
is in fact enjoying sunsets and musical nights. The resort
even organised a special New Year eve bash for him, courtesy
A Hariharan of Colonial Cousins.
The beachside resort however has turned into a real fortress
with the one kilometre long approach road fully taken over
by the security forces and the PM surrounded by not less than
seven security rings, from the entrance to his presidential
suite.
On the other hand are the terror attack threats that have
kept the local security forces on their toes, by putting up
barricades all along the coastal roads in North Goa, especially
from Sinquerim to Anjuna.
Besides over 3000 state policemen and 200 paramilitary commandos
that have been put on surveillance, intelligence spotters
from different states belonging to the IB as well as special
CID squad from Jammu and Kashmir are also spread all over.
In spite of the great hype of houseful bookings created by
the local hotel industry earlier, thousands of tourists have
actually preferred to stay away from Goa this year, thanks
to the rumours of terror attacks spread all over the world.
The last-minute cancellations have affected the tourism industry
drastically and city roads are not seen much flooded, though
not deserted. There are not too many celebrities, except few
central and other state ministers as well as top industrialists.
Unlike the normal Indian and foreign tourists, the terror
threat however appears to have not affected the top brass.
USA ambassador to India Robert Blackwill as well as Russian
princess Natli Golitsina are camping in Goa with their family
members, without any fear.
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