Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 8: Jammu Paryatan Vikas Mandal (JPVM), an apex body of 22 organizations in tourist trade, has urged the separatists to shun the policy of supporting violence and giving calendar calls for bandhs and strikes if they are really interested in bringing back the tourism on its rails because tourism and terrorism cannot go together.
In a press statement, Inderjeet Khajuria, JPVM chairman said, “The tourists planning trip to the Valley spend their hard earned money to have solace and enjoy the natural scenic beauty but instead had to face irate mobs, stone-pelters causing injuries, smashing their vehicles, all sort of inconvenience including insult and misbehavior with their lady companions and had to remain closeted in the Hotel rooms. They feel offended and shift their future strips to other States”.
In a pointed reference to the disturbances caused to Shri Amarnath Yatra, Khajuria said that it has become a routine every year that the Valley remains calm and peaceful to avail full benefits and harvest full tourists season right up to June but once the Amarnath Yatra approaches during July/August the separatists become active and cause disturbance and disruption in the smooth running of Yatra on one pretext or the other.
“This year terrorist Burhan Wani encounter has been a tool for separatists Hurriyat to spearhead an unending turmoil in the Valley till today washing away not only Shri Amarnath yatra after 8th July but also resulted in snatching away bread/livelihood from poor families dependant on tourism only”, Khajuria said, adding, disturbance whether in the valley or in Jammu affects the economy of the State which is solely dependent on tourism in all the 3 regions Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir.
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