The Union Government is serious in its efforts to revive tourism in Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of Pahalgam terror attack and it was in this regard that Union Minister for Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat visited Kashmir, had detailed meeting with Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and also visited Pahalgam. While the Union Minister discussed with the Chief Minister about broad range of initiatives aimed at boosting tourism infrastructure, promoting heritage and cultural sites, and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local communities, his comments after visiting Pahalgam have been appreciated by one and all, particularly in Kashmir.
Following the terror attack, the tourism industry came to a sudden halt (thankfully, the ice has started breaking). While it impacted the economic activities, the trauma of innocent killings was much more than the economic losses and that is why Kashmiris, irrespective of political ideologies, were out on streets condemning the terror attack. However, some hate mongers too were out to demonize Kashmiris as a whole. Some media outlets, social media handles etc. waged a campaign against entire Kashmir populace trying to portray each and every Kashmiri as a blood-thirsty terrorist.
This campaign, genuinely, pained Kashmir and Kashmiris. As they were struggling to come out of the pain of terror attack, the hatemongers were inflicting more pain to them. In such an atmosphere when Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, while flagging off Vande Bharat train to Kashmir, publicly paid tributes to Syed Adil Shah, a Kashmiri youth, who too was killed by terrorists while trying to save the tourists, people of Kashmir got a message that no matter what the hatemongers want to do, the country’s tallest leadership is with the people here.
In the same manner, the Union Minister for Tourism took to X saying he was “deeply moved” to meet Sajjad Ahmad Bhatt, who had carried an injured tourist to safety after the Pahalgam attack. “In a moment of fear and chaos, he chose courage and humanity above all. His selfless act is the real reflection of the spirit of Kashmir — brave, compassionate, and unwavering,” he said, and also shared a small video, titled “Meeting the Pahalgam Hero”. The Minister’s words about the real reflection of spirit of Kashmir, will prove balm to the wounds that were inflicted on Kashmiris by the hatemongers.
These are undoubtedly encouraging signs that ignite the hope that the tourism would be back on rails. Now that train service has connected Kashmir with the rest of the country and in coming days more trains may be added from various other states to Kashmir, people here are hopeful that the industry may be revived and will flourish in the future.