Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday projected the two-day national tourism secretaries’ conference here as a “befitting reply to terrorism”, once again linking tourism to the region’s pre-Pahalgam-attack safety narrative.
The April 22 militant attack in Pahalgam that killed 25 tourists had dealt a blow to the Centre’s all-is-well narrative. The Centre has often claimed that the scrapping of Article 370 helped crush militancy in the region.
The Pahalgam attack had forced the central leadership and Sinha to dial down their high-pitched assertions about having tackled militancy and boosted tourism as a corollary.
“This conference is a befitting reply to terrorism and reflects J&K’s march towards peace, progress and prosperity. Under the leadership of hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, J&K is an unstoppable force and it will continue to flourish,” the lieutenant governor said on Tuesday.
The elected governments have bristled at the idea of linking tourism revival to normalcy, lest it serve as a provocation to the militants. In May, chief minister Omar Abdullah had publicly cautioned against portraying the improved Kashmir tourism as a barometer for peace.
“J&K’s tourism sector has undergone a phenomenal transformation in the last few years. We have strengthened traditional tourism circuits and expanded tourism’s horizon,” Sinha said at the conference. Union minister of culture and tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat was also present.
“God has truly been generous to Jammu and Kashmir. This land, adorned with snow-capped peaks, shimmering lakes, apple-laden orchards, temples and rolling meadows, is a living canvas of natural beauty, spirituality and peace.
“We have strengthened traditional tourism circuits and expanded tourism’s horizon. We have ensured the benefits of tourism reach every corner of J&K and transform lives. The people and their warm hospitality make Jammu and Kashmir a truly fascinating tourist destination,” Sinha said.