J&K CM wants Bollywood to do ‘ghar vapsi’ to Valley

New Delhi, May 3

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Sunday asked Bollywood to do 'ghar vapsi' (return) to the Valley to help boost tourism.

Referring to the current turmoil in Kashmir, he told tour operators: “Perception matters and needs to change. Visit the valley yourselves to see the situation rather than falling prey to an impression created by TV news channels”.

Sayeed said a number of measures were proposed for encouraging tourism, which include flying of chartered planes by the state government and throwing open his own official residence for 'destination wedding'.

As part of the initiatives, he spoke about holding an 'Indian Davos' for national corporates at Gulmarg, 48 kms for Srinagar city.

"I am not holding a business meet akin to that held in Davos (Switzerland) but I can always bring my Indian corporates there sometime next year and hope Prime Minister and Finance Minister will also attend," Sayeed said.

Inviting filmmakers to shoot movies in the Valley again, the Chief Minister said: "I want 'ghar vapsi' (return home) of all my Bollywood people to the Kashmir Valley."    

 He recalled that when he was the Chief Minister earlier between 2002 and 2005 he had met late Yash Chopra.

"It took six years for his perception to be changed and he shot his film there," he added.

"Similarly, when I was in Mumbai recently, I met many film stars including Shahrukh Khan and asked him to come. Salman Khan is there. I am hopeful that this perception changes. It takes long to change people's perception. What my government intends to do is to change it," he said. — PTI