Darjeeling/New Delhi, June 4: A set of guidelines issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat for state government officers who will accompany a team of MPs visiting Darjeeling later this week has told them to “handle the baggage” of the leaders among other things.

Twenty-three liaison officers have been told to “render assistance in all possible manner for comfortable stay/journey” of 23 MPs and central officials coming to the hills on a three-day visit on Saturday.

The team will inspect the progress of projects undertaken with funds for MPs’ local area development.

The liaison officers include four Bengal civil service officers on probation and joint BDOs, besides 19 other officers of gazetted rank.

All of them have been told to “escort the members and officers accompanying the committee from their respective hotel rooms” to their cars and “help” them “in handling their baggage”.

The officers have been told to be polite and courteous at all times and “not to enter the rooms meant for interaction/discussion”.

A Bengal babu said: “The job is that of a tour guide and bell boy rolled into one.”

The guidelines say the li-aison officers “should have knowledge about places to be visited and about the route”.

Not all officers are complaining, but most are uncomfortable about the handling of luggage.

“I think this is the first time such a directive has been issued,” said one.

Darjeeling additional district magistrate P.K. Chhetri, who is also the chief liaison officer, said the directives were being misinterpreted. “We do not expect liaison officers to carry the baggage literally. It is the porters’ job. For all miscellaneous expenses like this, we will provide the officers Rs 1,500 as advance.”

Prasanna Acharya, who is heading the team of 17 MPs, said the instructions had shocked him.

“Carrying MPs’ luggage is not anybody’s job. I don’t think such a letter would have gone (sic). If that has happened, it must be a mistake. I will inquire into it,” the Biju Janata Dal MP told The Telegraph.