Tourists should avoid ‘handshakes’ with locals: UP Tourism Dept

Lucknow: The official website of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department has raised a controversy after advising the foreign tourists to avoid shaking hands with the locals, especially women.

It is written in the ‘Dos and Don’ts’ section of the website that the tourists should not shake hands with the citizens of the state and rather respond to their greetings with a ‘Namaste’. The message further says that tourists should avoid handshaking especially with women.

The info displayed on the website

“I think the instructions displayed on the website are completely applicable. We have a different culture and the people here take handshaking otherwise. Moreover, the kinds of clothes these foreigners wear are considered objectionable in India,” said Union Tourism Minister Om Prakash Singh when he was asked by newsmen to give his opinion in this regard.

It may be mentioned that the minister was earlier shrouded in a controversy in the wake of his statement that the tourists should not wear skirts.

What else the message on the website say:

• The tourists should dress up decently while visiting religious places.
• They should not choose to drive if unaware of the directions.

Read in Hindi: स्कर्ट से आगे निकली UP सरकार, टूरिस्ट से कहा- मत मिलाना औरतों से हाथ