New Delhi: The government has advised all
the states and union territories to deploy tourist police to
ensure safety and security of foreign tourists, the Rajya
Sabha was informed on Thursday.
In a written reply, Union Minister of Tourism Kumari
Selja also said her ministry has also circulated guidelines to
the states and union territories to form Tourist Security
Organisations (TSOs) comprising ex-servicemen for the safety
and security of tourists.
She was asked about the number of foreign tourists who
lodged complaints of cheating, harassment, rape, murder and
other crimes here in India in the last two years and the
action taken on those complaints.
"Public order and police are state subjects as per the
Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India and as such,
registration, investigation, detection and prevention of crime
including crime against foreign tourists, is primarily the
responsibility of the state government," Selja said.
The minister informed the House that a total of 50,81,504
foreign tourists visited India in 2007 and 53,66,966 in 2008.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, December 10, 2009, 17:49