Srinagar: The National Conference has strongly condemned the remarks made by Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari, who urged people to avoid visiting Kashmir and instead opt for destinations like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, or Odisha.
The BJP legislators statement came shortly after Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is currently in West Bengal to promote tourism, invited CM Mamata Banerjee to visit the Valley. Omar Abdullah had noted on Thursday that tourists were returning to Kashmir even after the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, and that efforts to revive confidence in tourism were yielding results.
Reacting sharply to Adhikari’s remarks, NC chief spokesperson and Legislator Tanvir Sadiq called the comments “deeply shameful and dangerous.”
“At a time when the entire country is standing with Jammu and Kashmir, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal is spewing such hate-filled, divisive, and communal rhetoric,” Sadiq said.
He emphasized that Kashmiris have always stood by the nation, not out of compulsion or personal benefit, but because “it was the right thing to do.”
“When we are right, the nation must stand with us. Suvendu Adhikari’s statement insults not just the people of Kashmir but the very idea of India, where unity in diversity is our strength,” Sadiq stated.
Calling for collective condemnation of what he termed “vile thinking”, the NC leader said this is not merely about Kashmir, but about preserving the soul of India. He urged political leaders across the spectrum to rise above divisiveness and support Kashmir’s efforts to revive tourism and peace.
The controversy has emerged at a time when the Jammu and Kashmir government is aggressively promoting the Valley as a safe and welcoming destination, particularly in the wake of recent violence.
Meanwhile, National Conference provincial president (Jammu) Rattan Lal Gupta condemned the “provocative and communally charged” remarks of Adhikari.
“Adhikari’s appeal… is not only appalling but also reflects the BJP’s persistent agenda of sowing communal discord. Such statements are not only a direct assault on the idea of India but also an insult to the composite culture and pluralistic ethos of Jammu and Kashmir,” Gupta said in a statement.
He said the people of Kashmir, regardless of their religion, have always welcomed tourists with open arms.
“Reducing the Valley to a religious demographic to incite fear and hatred is not only factually wrong but also highly irresponsible. Such rhetoric has the potential to damage the national fabric and cause deep fissures in society,” he asserted.
Calling the BJP’s approach a “politics of polarisation”, the senior NC leader alleged that the party thrives on Hindu-Muslim divisions by creating fear among communities.
The NC leader called upon the people of West Bengal and the entire nation to reject any such “hate-mongering” and instead embrace the spirit of unity, secularism and mutual respect.
Gupta appreciated the decision of Banerjee that she would visit Kashmir after Durga Puja and said the people of Jammu and Kashmir, both from Jammu and the Valley, want peace, progress and brotherhood, not communal poison.
He urged the BJP leadership to rein in its leaders and “stop weaponising religion for political gains”.
BJP leader Raina urges party colleague and West Bengal LoP to come and visit Kashmir
As BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s remarks asking people of West Bengal not to visit Kashmir or any Muslim-majority area sparked a row, a senior leader of his party from J&K on Saturday said Adhikari should visit Kashmir to experience the patriotism and nationalism of its people for the country.
BJP’s national executive member and former president of J&K unit Ravinder Raina also reminded Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, that numerous youths of Kashmir have sacrificed their lives for the country in the fight against terrorism over the past three decades.
In his remarks, Adhikari said that people of Bengal should avoid visiting Kashmir or any other area with a large Muslim population for the sake of their security, and that they can go to Jammu or other states like Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Odisha. He said he was not speaking as a BJP MLA and that it was his personal view as a citizen.
“I would like to request Adhikari to come to Kashmir. He should come and see that every Kashmiri loves India. When the terrorists killed humanity in the meadows of Pahalgam on April 22, it was the people of Kashmir who reached the spot barefoot to rescue the injured tourists,” Raina said in a statement here.
“It was the people of Kashmir who sheltered the tourists and helped them reach their homes safely. Mohammad Maqbool Sherwani sacrificed his life in 1947 by hoisting the tricolour in Baramulla and gave the slogan ‘beware Pakistani attackers, we Kashmiris are ready’,” Raina said.
He said thousands of Kashmiri youths have sacrificed their lives for the security of the country, serving in various security agencies.
“There are so many Kashmiri activists (from the BJP) who achieved martyrdom fighting the terrorists. India lives in the heart of every citizen of Jammu and Kashmir and Jammu and Kashmir is in the heart of India. Every Indian should come to Jammu and Kashmir,” Raina said, inviting Adhikari and the people of West Bengal to visit the valley to experience the “patriotism and nationalism of local residents”.
He said the people of J&K are true Indians. “This is our motherland and Kashmir is the crown of India. Every Kashmiri is our brother and they are our own.
“They have rendered numerous sacrifices for the country and if the tricolour is flying high in Kashmir proudly, it is because of the people of Kashmir,” Raina said. (PTI)
JKSA urges West Bengal CM to file case against BJP leader Adhikari
The Jammu and Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Saturday strongly condemned the remarks made by BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, who urged the people of Bengal not to visit Kashmir and instead travel to Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, or Odisha.
In a statement, JKSA described Adhikari’s comments as deeply divisive, dangerous, and shameful, saying they amount to a direct assault on the idea of India, its secular ethos, and the constitutional principles that bind the nation together.
“We are not outsiders. We are not to be boycotted. Such divisive hate speech, aimed at isolating Kashmir because of its religious demography, is not only unconstitutional, it is inhuman. It seeks to economically strangle an entire population already struggling under the weight of conflict, terrorism, and instability,” JKSA said.
It emphasized that Adhikari’s comments could undo vital efforts to restore tourist confidence. “Rather than standing united in grief and resilience, Adhikari has chosen to deepen divides. By discouraging Bengalis from visiting Kashmir, he is not just attacking Kashmir, he is insulting the people of West Bengal, assuming they share his toxic worldview,” the statement said.
“Bengal has always stood for pluralism, for poetry over poison, for bridges over barriers. It is deeply unfortunate that the Leader of Opposition is now sowing seeds of hatred and communal tension, especially at a time when Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mamata Banerjee are working together to promote healing, tourism, and national unity.”
The Association also warned that such inflammatory rhetoric could provoke communal tensions across India and endanger the lives of hundreds of Kashmiri students and shawl vendors working in Bengal. “One irresponsible political statement can incite hatred and hostility, putting real lives at risk,” the statement noted.
It accused Adhikari of indirectly aiding anti-national agendas. “By calling for a boycott of Kashmir, Suvendu Adhikari is not just spewing Islamophobia, he is helping Pakistan. He is doing exactly what anti-India forces want; dividing us from within, pitting one Indian against another, and treating Kashmiris as lesser citizens,” JKSA said.
The Association urged West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to act immediately by registering an FIR against Suvendu Adhikari for hate speech, incitement, and promoting enmity between communities.
It also highlighted the longstanding cultural ties and harmony between Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal, built over decades. “Hundreds of Bengali workers earn their livelihoods in Kashmir, and several students from West Bengal are studying in institutions like NIT Srinagar and other universities. Suvendu Adhikari’s hate-filled remarks threaten to destroy this bond of mutual trust, respect, and shared history. His words don’t just endanger tourism, they risk unraveling a people-to-people connection rooted in coexistence and compassion.”
It also urged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) high command to immediately expel Adhikari from the party for his divisive and inflammatory remarks that go against the spirit of national unity and constitutional values.
“Kashmir is not a pariah. Kashmir is India. And no amount of communal venom can erase our place in this union,” the JKSA statement added.
