Playing With Fire: Devbhoomi Is Not A Place For Criminals

Himachal Chief Minster. Jairam Thakur's  clarification over deployment of security forces with the TCP lady officer who was shot dead by the Kasauli hotelier, the  other day is  insensitive and apologetic.

 Apparently, its a cover up to escape the top court wrath.  The gruesome killing of a government official has, sufficiently, eroded the image of the state. Even. if duty conscience lady officer had stepped out without security , wasn't it security personnel's responsibility to protect her?  Its too shocking to see she was left to be killed. 

The accused is a govt servant and working in power board. Its a moot point, how a power board  employee posted at Shimla  was  let free to run a commercial enterprise in Kasauli. As per reports, he was daily. up-downing to Shimla from Kasauli. His bening power board employee  perhaps helped him run at large. Himachal, popularly, known as Devbhoomi ( Land of Gods) has now turned into a crime-infested state. Print media is full of , murder and rape  stories daily. Despite  heavy police paraphernalia, the crime is on the rise. Civil administration can't be run on gun point. 

The senseless murder also questions the wisdom of contemporary government in promoting  hill tourism and  creating pressure on landlocked places. Not only in Kasauli, Dharamshala and Manali are also groaning under tourism's promotion pressure.   The illegal constructions are the manifestation of the 'Policy Paralysis'. The state has been playing with fire in the name promoting tourism. Tourists love  virgin hill stations and  prefer to stay way from congested  destinations. Its time, Devbhoomi should rise above "vote bank  politics" and be pragmatic.