PM Modi, J-K CM Omar exchange warm gestures

In a public display of bonhomie, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday exchanged warm gestures with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is an ally of the opposition INDIA bloc.

The prime minister also assured people of the Union Territory that he would walk side-by-side with them and remove all hurdles in achieving their dreams.

Modi was in Sonamarg to inaugurate the 6.5-km Z-Morh tunnel in Ganderbal district to provide round-the-year connectivity to the hill resort along the 434-km Srinagar-Leh national highway.

This was the first visit of the prime minister to J&K after the formation of the Abdullah-led National Conference government in October last year.

On reaching the stage after dedicating the tunnel to the people of J&K, Modi was presented Kashmir's famous Sozni shawl by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and a papier mache painting by the chief minister.

Abdullah was the first to address the well-attended gathering and was warmly clapped by the prime minister who also shook hands with him before he returned to his seat close to Modi.

The chief minister, in his speech, praised Modi for his efforts in bridging the gap between "dil (heart) and Delhi" and holding assembly polls in the Union Territory while exuding confidence that the statehood restoration promise would soon be fulfilled.

He also acknowledged the Centre's efforts in bringing peace to the borders in J&K and said far-flung areas like Machil, Gurez, Karnah and Keran along the Line of Control had benefited with development and tourism. “We cannot imagine how many tourists are enjoying the beauty of these places.”

Modi also repeatedly referred to the chief minister during his nearly half-an-hour-long speech and said he became impatient after Abdullah shared a video and the pictures of the Z-Morh tunnel on his social media account on the eve of its inauguration.

“The weather, snow and the beautiful mountains are enough to make hearts happy...As Abdullah said I have a long association with this region as I remember spending time as an ordinary worker of the BJP in Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Ganderbal and Baramulla.

"I have walked for hours together in the snow but was always warmly welcomed by the people who never allowed me to feel cold,” the prime minister said.

In his speech, Modi also referred to the participation of Abdullah in the Kashmir's first-ever International Marathon in October last year and said his video had gone viral. “I personally congratulated him when he met me in Delhi. He was full of enthusiasm.”

Abdullah made history by participating in the marathon, completing the 21-km run with an impressive average pace of 5 minutes 54 seconds per kilometre.