Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 27: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today appealed to country’s tourism industry to clear the negative perceptions about Jammu and Kashmir and help in bringing peace to the troubled Valley.
Speaking at the inauguration of the 64th convention of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) here this evening, she described tourism as the best means of people to people dialogue adding that every effort in this regard would be an investment in peace. “Tourism helps build bridges among people which ultimately leads to minimizing alienation or misgivings about each other”, she said.
The three day TAAI convention is being held at Srinagar after a gap of 31 years. The last TAAI convention was held here in 1987.
Mehbooba said the State has gone through a phase of enormous violence during the last three decades or so for which people here need a healing touch which tourism sector alone can provide. “Government alone cannot do that, you have to do partnership with us”, she told the delegates.
“There is no doubt that we are going through a very difficult phase but we have invited you today for our handholding”, she said.
The Chief Minister blamed some media houses for blowing the violence in Kashmir out of proportion. “If there is any untoward incident in Kashmir, when we are sitting here, if there is anywhere such an indent, the TV channels would present it in such a way that it looks if entire Kashmir is afire. This had impacted our Jammu tourism as well besides that of Kashmir”, she said.
She said that fighting gun with gun is no solution for Kashmir but there are other ways as well which can provide balm to sufferings of the people. “Our situation is not hidden and there are such problems across the globe but our problem is that our country has left us alone. We are facing tough situation. There are many ways to deal with the situation but we are using only one way to deal it. That is fighting the gun with the gun but the pain it inflicts needs balm that can be provided by the people of the country, by you people”, she said.
Mehbooba said that visit of tourists to this place is an investment in peace. “My father used to say that when a tourist visits us, it is an investment in peace. Your every step that you set in Kashmir is investment for peace. Just like an Army jawan fights on the borders or fights against militancy that is one way of fighting. The second is to fight the alienation”, she said.
Appealing tourists to visit Kashmir, she said: “We have same forests, same lakes and same rivers, there are golf courses, diverse languages, rich culture, I feel that there is no such diversity in any part of the world which we have here which is alone in Jammu and Kashmir.”
The Chief Minister said that State is victim of tough times of the past which bruised people immensely but they have remained unmatched in their hospitality and warmth. She said that Jammu and Kashmir is safest place especially for women. “God has also kept us on top, we are crown of India but this time we are passing through a difficult phase. The difficulty is that we are sitting here and there is an encounter in a far off place but when tourist watches Television in the evening, they gets phone call from home asking them are you in that Kashmir which Times Now is showing, which Republic, New X and India Today is showing. They have created such a perception, it looks as if entire Jammu and Kashmir is on fire. It is not like that. I would say this is warmest place on earth, this is safest place on earth for women. If there is any place safe in the entire country for women, for girls it is Jammu and Kashmir”, she said.
She welcomed the delegates and asked them to bring their families first and then persuade others to come here. “I welcome you from the core of my heart. I am overwhelmed from the presence of with your presence here. I hope that you will bring your families here first because if you come with your families, you can persuade others to come. Jammu is also a beautiful place. There are lots of places like shrines, temples in Jammu. I have asked administration to make such packages that there will no hardships for the people in reaching the shrines or temples. People are very happy for your visit. There should be special packages for everyone”, she said.
Mehbooba said that the people of Kashmir need healing touch which tourists can provide. “When guns roar on both sides, injuries are bound to happen. We need healing touch and for that Government will not be able to do anything alone, we need your support. You came here, I think you have made a beginning. I hope this year will be good for us”, she said.
Chief Minister asked the tourism fraternity of the country to come forward and help in further improving tourist footfall in the State which she said leads to enhanced people to people contact.
Praising the beauty of Kashmir, the Chief Minister said: “What can I say about Jammu and Kashmir? My father used to say if you do good deeds, you will go to paradise. But I don’t know, he used to say, whether that pradise is beautiful or our paradise is beautiful. Since you came here, it looks spring has come to this place. Your presence is a good omen.”
“I compliment everyone for organizing the conference. Kashmiri people are warm hearted. We are just stuck in between this problem. Partition of India happened and we had no role in that. Our country was separated into two but there is pain only here. Firing happens only on our border, infiltration or militants are being sent only here and only we people are being killed. We are full of injuries and you are the cure for us. You often come here so that it will be privilege for us to host you”, she said.
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