Director Tourism’s removed for giving slurred Speech at Gulmarg

Saahil Suhail

Srinagar, November 1, 2018: Government on Thursday ceased the powers of Director Tourism Kashmir Tasaduq Jeelani after his video, showing him throwing craggy remarks and giving slurred speech at Gulmarg while addressing delegates’ visiting Kashmir under FAM Tour, went viral

The Director Toursim Kashmir was video-graphed at Gulmarg on last Saturday while giving slurred speech in a five star hotels.

“in the interest of administration, Mr Tasaduq Jeelan, KAS shall, with immediate effect, cease to discharge the duties and functions of attached to the post of Director Tourism, Kashmir which shall henceforth and until further orders, discharged by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir in addition to his own duties,” reads government issued the General administrative department.

Early Times was first newspaper in Jammu and Kashmir to publish detailed stories on FAM Tour and Director’s slurred video. In FAM tour, Tourism department had floated all the norms and the money spent on FAM tour was supposed to be utilized for sponsoring a Discovery Channel film.

 The video of the Director’s speech has appeared on social media site. In the video, Director Tourism Tassaduq Geelani can be heard making craggy remarks about Kashmir, tourism department stake holders and can be heard giving slurred Speech.

While the Director of Tourism is speaking out his heart, proudly calling a hotelier as his bosom friend, expressing disappointment over the guests from all over the country rejecting his invitation and asserting that he is not afraid of anybody.

Once Deputy Director Massarat Hashim tries to stop him from addressing a gathering at Gulmarg but Director asks him not to stop his speech, which is arguably the best entertaining speech of the year from a government officer. Officers finally snapped the power supply to apply their brakes on the no-holds-barred chief.

Director Tourism Kashmir had extended invitation to almost 150 guests which include guests from Doordarshan, Radio, Director Information and PR of different states, National Tour operators, Media Fraternity (Print and Electronic Media), Travel bloggers and writers across the nation. Tourism department arranged to and fro air tickets, boarding, lodging and local transportation for visiting guests.

Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC), Sher-e-Kashmir International Convocation Center (SKICC) and private hoteliers were roped in and asked to facilitate the visiting guests at Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Srinagar.

Director Toursim Kashmir, Tassaduq Geelani had said that Tourism department hosted 3-day Familiarization (FAM) tour of about 100 delegates in an effort to "remove negative perception about Kashmir."

As reported earlier, 2 Cr rupees spent on FAM tour was supposed to be utilized for sponsoring a Discovery Channel film.

Director Tourism Kashmir, Tasaduq Jeelani on Wednesday that he was entertaining his staff when someone recorded his speech and later shared on social media sites.

Director Tourism said that he was a ‘sensitive person’ and local tour and travel operators, and hoteliers rejecting his invitation hurt him ‘badly’.

“It was responsibility to appreciate the efforts of my colleagues and staff that did their best to make the FAM tour successful,” he told early Times over phone.

Reacting to video and his slurred speech that has gone viral on social media sites, Director said that he was only ‘entertaining’ his staff members.

“Delegates who were part of FAM tour had already proceeded for dinner. I was only addressing my staff and tried to entertain them,” he said, adding someone recorded the same and circulated with social media users.

Director said that he hasn’t consumed anything and that he always talks in same tone.