Farooq Abdullah slams BJP’s J&K tourism boom claim: ‘Visitors come and go like prisoners’
PTC News Desk: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has pushed back against the BJP’s claims of improved security in the Union Territory following the abrogation of Article 370. Speaking at an event near Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake, Abdullah criticized the Centre’s narrative, stating that tourists visiting the region are heavily restricted, comparing their experience to that of prisoners.
“They [tourists] come like prisoners and go like prisoners,” the National Conference chief said, referencing the heightened security during the Amarnath Yatra. He pointed out that the massive deployment of security forces during the annual pilgrimage contradicted the government’s assertion of restored normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir.
“There never used to be so many forces during the Amarnath Yatra. Tourists are transported in caged buses, unable to move freely,” Abdullah remarked, highlighting the ongoing security concerns in the region. Despite five years of direct control by the Centre, Abdullah argued that the situation in J&K remained volatile, with terrorism continuing to be a significant challenge.
To emphasise his point, the veteran leader cited a deadly terror attack in June, where militants targeted a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district. Nine people lost their lives, and over 40 were injured after terrorists opened fire on the bus, causing it to plunge into a deep gorge. The bus was traveling from the Shiv Khori temple to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine at the time of the attack.
Abdullah also reiterated his party’s long-standing stance on the restoration of Article 370, which had granted special status to the region before being revoked in 2019.
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He expressed confidence that the provision would eventually be reinstated, drawing a parallel with India’s independence movement. “We will achieve it one day. There is no rush. India took 200 years to gain its independence, and we will be patient in our struggle,” he said.
Addressing the Centre’s claims of reduced violence and stone-pelting incidents in the region since 2019, Abdullah questioned the veracity of those statistics, asserting that many innocent children remain behind bars. “The Prime Minister had promised to form a committee to look into these cases, but nothing has materialized yet,” he added.
Abdullah also criticised the tightly controlled visit of foreign dignitaries during the G20 Summit in Srinagar earlier this year. “When the G20 Summit was held, the foreign dignitaries were kept in a hotel and were not allowed to meet anyone. They were only taken to Dal Lake and not shown the reality of the region,” he said, challenging the government’s portrayal of peace and normalcy in J&K.
Abdullah’s comments highlight the ongoing debate over the actual security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, with tensions continuing to simmer even years after the revocation of Article 370.