CM all praise for Modi’s transparency model
Excelsior Correspondent/PTI
AHMEDABAD, May 2: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed today promised action against those responsible for waving Pakistani flags at yesterday’s rally addressed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani even as rightwing Hindu organisations held a protest demanding the separatist leader’s arrest.
The Chief Minister also rejected Geelani’s demand to curtail the duration of the Amarnath Yatra to 30 days from the planned 59 days and said it will take place as scheduled.
“Some people were involved in such activities. Action will be taken against those involved in such an act,” Sayeed told journalists in Ahmedabad, recalling how separatist leader Masrat Alam Bhat, who had himself raised pro-Pakistan slogans and waved Pakistani flags at a rally attended by Geelani was put behind bars.
“When Masrat Alam was released, he had already spent five years under PSA (Public Safety Act). Then, I myself saw him with Pakistani flag. We then took immediate action (against Alam, who was again arrested),” Sayeed, who is on a visit to Gujarat to promote tourism in his State, said, adding “law will take its course”.
At the April 15 rally Pakistani flags were waved by Geelani’s supporters which led to filing of case against him, his close aide Masrat Alam Bhat and others on sedition and other charges. Bhat was arrested the next day and booked under the stringent Public Safety Act a week later.
At yesterday’s rally, the first by him at militancy-hit Tral in south Kashmir, Geelani had demanded restricting the Amarnath Yatra to 30 days keeping in mind the safety of pilgrims and protection of environment. His supporters had chanted pro-Pakistan slogans and waved that country’s national flag.
The Mufti insisted that the yatra will be held as scheduled as “people of Jammu and Kashmir are in its favour.”
The Chief Minister appeared to share the view of Geelani against creating exclusive townships for Kashmiri Pandits who wanted to return to the Valley when he spoke about the “culture of living together”.
“They are part of our culture, a culture of living together. They had to leave (the Valley) in an atmosphere of militancy in 1990. In the past, we attempted to bring them back but did not succeed in our efforts,” Sayeed said.
“Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also made such attempts. Those (displaced) three lakh Kashmiri Pandits are intellectuals and learned. They should come back. My Government will make all possible effort to bring them back,” he said when asked about resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits.
Sayeed did not take a question about Pakistan’s stand that creation of “dedicated” townships for Pandits will change the demography of the State and will be in violation of the UN resolutions
Sayeed said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced a transparency model devoid of red-tapism since coming to power at the Centre.
He also said people were waiting for ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’, Modi’s famous slogan, to translate into reality, but it was going to be a “long race”.
“Narendra Modi made Gujarat a model. I have sent my bureaucrats here to see the systems in panchayats. The system will work when it is transparent, corruption-free and if there is no red-tapism in it. System works with single-window system,” said Sayeed here, who is on a visit to the State.
“But India is a big country. There are so many people here; diversity is the essence of India. Unity in diversity. People here have elected him for three or four times (as Gujarat CM)…Modi gave the slogan ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ (support to all, development of all). People are waiting for it. Where has it gone? They do not know this is a long race,” he said.
“If you want to set up an industry, it also takes three to four years. Same is the case with a power project,” he said, suggesting that bringing about development for all too would take some time.
“There is no red-tape, transparency is everywhere. Such a model has come up before this country,” he said, commenting on Modi’s performance as the Prime Minister.
On the PDP-BJP coalition Government in Jammu and Kashmir led by him, Sayeed said, “I call this…As if North pole and South pole have met each other.”
“Now, there is a need to change the perception (about J&K). There is a strong need of tourism…Need for you people (from rest of India) coming there. There is no danger,” Sayeed said in his bid to revive tourism in the militancy-affected State.
Referring to the 90’s when militancy was at its peak in the Valley, Sayeed said the Amarnath pilgrimage continued even then.
“People say that (in J&K) forces are deployed everywhere. There is Army and police. Army is of course there to secure our borders. But, people should not feel that there is (presence of) excessive force there and J&K is like a prison. We should try to deploy very less-uniformed people at Srinagar airport so that people can feel a friendly atmosphere on arrival,” Sayeed said.
Seeking to promote the State as a whole, he said, “I am here not only to accomplish mission Kashmir, but to fulfil the mission Jammu, Mission Ladakh, also. You come to visit other regions of J&K. You people are our life-line,” he said to the gathering which comprised tour operators.
Stressing the need to create a friendly atmosphere for tourists, Sayeed said Srinagar is being developed as a destination of heritage-tourism while the Centre is coming up with an international Yoga centre at Mantalai in Udhampur district of Jammu region.
He said his Government is trying to boost tourism as a major source of revenue as the State was badly hit by last year’s flash-flood tragedy.
Sayeed said though autumn is the best season to visit J&K, it can be visited anytime in year.
The CM is likely to visit Delhi tomorrow, where he will also hold discussions with tour and travel operators, in a bid to increase the flow of tourists to the picturesque State.
Meanwhile in a bid to increase tourist flow to J&K from Gujarat, which constitutes 30% of all arrivals, Mufti Sayeed today promised a ‘better-packaged and improved’ J&K that offers new vistas in pilgrim, heritage and leisure tourism.
He said he has personally come to Ahmedabad on a mission to strengthen the special bond between the two States in the tourism sector.
Mufti Sayeed, who also holds the charge of Tourism portfolio, was interacting with Gujarat’s leading tour operators at Hotel Hyatt, here today. Earlier, he was received at the Ahmedabad Airport by Gujarat’s Minister of State for Law & Justice and other senior officers of Gujarat and J&K Government.
Taking forward his interactions with leading tour operators from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, the Chief Minister underlined the need to change the public perception of J&K in the rest of the country. “Despite several impediments, we are striving to restore the confidence of leading tour operators in sending tourists to J&K to enjoy its splendour,” he said, while describing the damage suffered by the State in the September 2014 floods as colossal.
Praising the people and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in converting Gujarat into a role model State, the Chief Minister paid rich tributes to Mahatma Gandhi in the State where he was born.
Calling upon the tour operators to be partners in his ‘Mission Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh’, the Chief Minister said he has passed instructions for bringing into limelight new unexplored destinations like Sanasar, Mantalai, Kokernag, Aharbal, Nun Kun, Ranjit Sagar and Baglihar Dams.
Reiterating his earlier statement of promoting Gulmarg as India’s Davos, the Chief Minister said the Government will soon work to organize Corporate conferences in J&K so that high-end locations, especially resorts, are promoted as niche destinations. He also reiterated the Government’s focus on promoting Golf tourism and mountain expeditions.
Describing J&K as a pre-sold destination, the Chief Minister said the flow of tourists to Ladakh and Jammu has also grown considerably. He said besides the huge influx of pilgrim tourists to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine, steps have been taken to promote Jammu as an independent leisure destination. “Ladakh is an enchanting land that has attracted tourists, especially foreigners, to its vast unexplored expanse,” he added.
In order to improve the beauty of Dal lake, Mufti Sayeed said he will classify the houseboats into different categories so that the tourists get the services they have paid for. A large number of tourists from Gujarat prefer to stay in houseboats and take shikara rides in the lake.
Elaborating upon the measures being taken to facilitate the visitors this summer, Mufti Sayeed said in the aftermath of floods, the State suffered massive damage to its infrastructure, particularly roads. He said the Government is striving to improve inter-district and resort road connectivity across the State.
Stressing upon the need to increase air and rail traffic to J&K, the Chief Minister said he has taken up with Union Ministers of Railways and Civil Aviation the issue to operate more trains and flights to the State. I have requested them to allow chartered flights and night-landing facility at Jammu and Srinagar airports as well as start summer special trains like Ahmedabad-Jammu and Mumbai-Jammu to facilitate the visitors,” he said and added that better handholding by Police and Tourism personnel will be ensured at Airports, Railway stations and tourist bus terminals.
Rising air fares have been one of the major dampeners to tourist flow to the State where 70 per cent of all visitors have travelled by air in the last four months.
Stressing upon the tour operators to coordinate with their local counterparts in offering attractive family packages, Mufti Sayeed said the Government has conceptualized various add-on packages like light-and-sound shows at the famed Mughal Gardens, river cruises across Jhelum riverfront and water-rafting for the leisure and heritage tourists.
On a specific query from a tour operator about availability of vegetarian food in J&K, the Chief Minister directed MD JKTDC to set up vegetarian restaurants at all major tourist destinations so that domestic visitors have a feel of home-made food.
Describing tour operators as the most important link between the state and the visitors, Mufti Sayeed sought their support in providing full occupancy this season. “We are also working towards considerably improving our intake capacity, both at the middle and high-end level, so that better accommodation facilities are provided to the tourists in the hospitality sector,” he added.
Expressing gratitude to tour and travel players in promoting J&K during its most-troubled times, Mufti Sayeed said the State is also working to highlight its rich pilgrim, heritage and culture in the State. “We will showcase heritage sites of all the three regions so that the visitors are able to see new places of interest in the State,” he added.
The Chief Minister said he will link the Handicrafts industry with tourism so that genuine and price-tagged products are sold to the tourists during their visit to the State.
Emphasizing upon the need to promote business tourism in J&K, Minister for Finance, Dr Haseeb A Drabu said several packages for Corporate sector like Golf and high-end tourism will be introduced this season. He requested the media fraternity to provide space to good news emerging from J&K in the tourism sector as it is connected with every household of the State.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of State for Information, Education & Culture, Priya Sethi, won the hearts of the audience by speaking in Gujarati. “Having been born and brought up in Gujarat, I have received tremendous love and affection from the people of J&K for whuch I am thankful to them,” she added.
Commissioner /Secretary Tourism, Shailendra Kumar, gave a detailed presentation about the initiatives taken by the Tourism Department to increase tourist footfall in J&K.
MD JKTDC and Director Tourism, Kashmir, Farooq Ahmad Shah, and several representatives from tour and travel organizations of J&K also participated in the function.
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