BJP leaders not on same page over Hurriyat invite to tourists

Tribune News Service & PTI

Jammu, December 7

A day after Hurriyat leaders extended the invitation to tourists and yatris from across the country to visit Kashmir, BJP leaders spoke in differing voices while reacting to the separatists’ appeal. National general secretary Ram Madhav today said the action of the separatists depicted their hypocrisy while Central ministers hailed the invite.

Hurriyat leaders comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Yasin Malik on Tuesday invited tourists and yatris (pilgrims) to visit Kashmir and enjoy hospitality of people and beauty of paradise on the earth.

Ridiculing separatist leaders’ invitation, Madhav said, “I think there is some spelling mistake in the invitation extended by the separatists to the tourists across the country. Instead of inviting terrorists they (Hurriyat leaders) have mistakenly extended invitation to the tourists.”

Speaking to reporters after holding meetings with state BJP leaders, he said, “On one hand separatist leaders are pretending to be peace lovers by extending invitation to the tourists but simultaneously issuing shutdown calendars to spread bloodshed and destruction in the Valley.” He said, “tourism and shutdown calendar can’t go together.”

Madhav, who is the architect of the PDP-BJP government in J&K, said Hurriyat leaders were the biggest hypocrites, creating trouble in restoring peace in the Valley.

He also took National Conference president Farooq Abdullah to task for offering support to the Hurriyat Conference. On Monday, Farooq had said his party was ready to follow the separatists “till they are on the right path and are leading the nation in the right direction”. “It is very unfortunate and irresponsible statement. Don’t know what has gone wrong with the National Conference,” he said, adding that Farooq earlier used to criticise the Hurriyat and now he wanted to follow their path.

Taking a dig at the recent statement of former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for absolving Pakistan of its role in the current turmoil, the BJP stalwart said, “It is really surprising that Omar is advocating Pakistan and Farooq is toeing Hurriyat line.”

Meanwhile, the Centre today hailed the separatist Hurriyat Conference’s invitation to tourists and pilgrims to visit the Kashmir Valley.

Welcoming the “initiative,” Minister of State for Tourism Mahesh Sharma said, “My big salute goes to all those who support tourism, and yes, we are for it. The vision of our great Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) is to see that the Valley comes back to life again. We are all prepared to see and ensure that the tourism industry in the Valley flourishes. If any step needs to be taken for that, we will come forward.”

“Tourism will change the shape of the Valley and will bring the glory back...as a Tourism Minister I welcome their initiative and of course other calls will be taken by the Government of India,” Sharma told reporters in New Delhi.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said everyone should promote tourism as Jammu and Kashmir had been “very, very important” for the sector.

“If there is peace in the Valley, tourism will flourish there and if tourism increases, it will economically benefit the state and its people. Promotional tourism is absolutely necessary to revive the economy because it is a very important part of their social life,” Rijiju said.