From Daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, Mar 31: Way back in late 90's, a small village Benaulim in South Goa, began 'Operation Flush-out Kashmiris'. It was an unexpected battle for the locals, who were on warpath against their own people. A similar situation exists here on another side of Goa though the discontent is not vociferous.

As the Kashmiris manage to take away a large share of tourism cake with their tricks of the trade, the local businessmen have begun feeling insecure. And what is worrying them more is that Kashmiris are being pampered by the local politicians for various gains including political.

Says a local businessman, Sachin Kurtikar,"Kashmiris are dominating all the coastal belt with their shops which basically sell carpets but the basic question is how come they could afford to pay a rent of Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 just by selling carpets and fake jewellery."

What makes them stronger is the backing they get from the local politicians. The Kashmiris living in Calangute-Candolim-Baga belt play a major role electoral game and decide who will rule the local panchayat. ''There are around 800 Kashmiri voters in this belt. This chunk can be decisive and hence no politician would dare to disturb them," observed Kurtikar.

The migration of Kashmiris in Goa began two decades ago and it went on increasing. Unofficial figure states that the Calangute-Candolim-Baga belt has around 3,000 Kashmiris staying here. "Most of the people who have settled here are from Srinagar city. The militancy coupled with death blow to tourism in Kashmir forced them to migrate to greener pastures and Goa was their favoured destination," admits M Yousaf Tuman, a Kashmiri businessman, who owns Indian Arts Exposition showroom at Candolim.

Tuman came to Goa 15 years back but he knows so many Kashmiris who were here much before that. "The products which we used to sell in Kashmir are being sold in Goa. We have shifted our destinations but not the products," he quips.

But the local businessmen still raise a question about the business done by these Kashmiris. "In the jewellary field, they sell silver claiming it as a white gold. They cheat foreigners. They have encroached into the traditional business of Goans," complaints Atul Verlekar, a Candolim jeweller. Renting out houses to Kashmiris is a craze amongst those Goans who are after easy money.

"There are people who have rented their houses to Kashmiris and themselves are staying in a hut," stated Kurtikar.

Goa's coastal belt has Delhi, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bengal and Orissa migrants eking out their living, explains Kurtikar. While Bengali and Orissa people are mostly from the lower strata, Delhi, Gujarat and Rajasthan businessmen share tourism pie with Kashmiris.

While a likely involvement of Kashmiris in drug trade is spoken about, the local police deny it. "We are keeping regular check on the Kashmiris. We have not found any such person," states a senior police officer. The authorities, on the other hand, point an accusing finger towards the locals for promoting Kashmiris in the state.

"Many people have sub-let their premises to Kashmiris which is not permitted as per law but we can't act until there are complaints," vaguely replied Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira. Candolim sarpanch Agnelo Fernandes, who also happens to be parliamentary secretary to government, strongly defende Kashmiris by saying, "We can't regulate them. They too are Indians and they have every right to do business anywhere."

Tourism director Sandeep Jacques, however, admits that there is no proper data with his department on Kashmiri businessmen. "All business establishments in the tourism belt are bound by rules to be registered with the department but many don't do it. Now we are initiating a drive to compel them to register with the department," stated Jacques.