CM refuses to cut inaugural ribbon in tricolor
‘Delimitation in J&K benefitted particular party’
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Apr 15: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that the Government is working on bringing a new industrial incentive policy that will benefit Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here in response to a question about the industrial incentive policy in the Union Territory, which expired in September last year, Omar said the government is working on bringing a new incentive policy.
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“We want that in the true sense, the policy should work. Otherwise, we give incentives from above, but at the ground level, there is no benefit from it. Investment doesn’t come, factories aren’t set up,” he said.
The Chief said the department is trying to find out what the experience of the people who set up their units has been and what kind of changes they want in the policy.
“It is also trying to find out from those who want to set up industries here, what kind of policy they would want. We will mix these two. By combining these two things, an attractive policy will be brought from the Industries and Commerce Department, which I hope will give a boost to industry here,” he said.
Omar said that the opposition INDIA bloc would jointly determine its response to proposed legislation seeking to increase the strength of the Lok Sabha from 545 to 850 seats, alongside a bill providing 33% reservation for women.
“I will head there to attend the meeting of the bloc. As for what the National Conference intends to do or not do, we will discuss those matters during that meeting because we cannot do anything on this issue alone.”
The Chief Minister said that the INDIA bloc must collectively decide what our response will be on this bill, and what our role will be in the Parliament – whether in the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
On the delimitation, Omar said it remains to be seen whether the Bill is intended to benefit the BJP or the common voter.
Pointing to the delimitation exercise undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir in 2023 Omar said, “Based on our past experience, they can say that delimitation will benefit us. However, under that delimitation, attempts were made to benefit a single party or its supporters.”
“The manner in which seats were allocated here, the way constituencies were delineated, the way their boundaries were drawn, and the way certain voters were shifted from one constituency to another – the objective was to somehow ensure that the BJP and its allies would benefit,” he said.
“If this Bill is being introduced with the sole intent that the ultimate beneficiary should be the BJP and not the common voter, then that is something we have to see. But let us discuss it first today, and let the India bloc prepare its response, then we will talk,” he added.
Earlier, Omar refused to cut an inaugural ribbon in saffron, white and green stripes, instead untying it and handing it to the organisers with the instruction that it be folded and kept with respect.
Abdullah was inaugurating the ‘Know Your Artisans’ event at the Kashmir Haat here. In a moment that was captured by camera crews and quickly went viral on social media platforms, the chief minister was seen walking towards the ribbon stretched across and then stopping short as he noticed the tricolours.
He was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, his advisor Nasir Aslam Wani and a host of others.
The ribbon dispensed with, Abdullah went on with the rest of the proceedings at the Kashmir Haat in the heart of the city.
Earlier, Omar inaugurated the ‘Know Your Artisan’ programme at Kashmir Haat under the Handicrafts and Handloom Department’s ongoing ‘Soulful Kashmir’ brand promotion initiative aimed at strengthening J&K’s traditional craft sector. He said the government is introducing new initiatives to promote local crafts among visitors.
“Tourists can see the entire range of Kashmir’s craft in one place – from chain stitch and Kani work to Kashmiri shawls, copperware, wood carving and papier-mache,” he said.
The Chief Minister emphasised the need to raise awareness about the region’s artisans and encouraged both tourists and local residents to engage with such initiatives.
Omar raised concerns about the decline of traditional markets, noting that a heritage marketplace in the area had become defunct over time.
“More than 80 shops have shut. We need to understand where the artisans have gone and how to bring them back into the system,” he said.
He also inspected the Department’s new initiative of Live Demos under ‘Try Your Hands’ segment, set up to provide an immersive experience to the visitors and tourists so that they feel the hard work of artisans and back-end processes involved in making such niche crafts.
The Chief Minister himself tried his hands at warping of yarn, an arduous exercise that goes into handweaving of pashmina. He was specifically impressed by the prototypes on display designed by the School of Designs and CDI.
The Chief Minister later visited the main Exhibition Gallery where 30 display-cum-sale counters offering authentic handmade products have been set up. During his interaction with various Shilp Guru, National and J&K Awardees, he expressed deep appreciation for the initiative and the remarkable craftsmanship on display.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, who also holds the Industries & Commerce portfolio, reaffirmed the department’s commitment to continue organizing such initiatives across multiple locations, ensuring wider visibility, enhanced market access, greater footprint of visitors and buyers and sustained socio-economic upliftment of the artisan and weaver community.
The event is expected to witness overwhelming response from visitors, tourists and stakeholders, marking yet another significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to position Jammu & Kashmir as a global hub for high-quality handicrafts and handloom products.
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