JAMMU: Former Deputy Chief Minister and Senior BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta camped in Mumbai to win confidence of the industrialists and film makers and requested them to rediscover the state as a destination for investment in tourism and film shoots. Gupta was in Mumbai in connection with the ‘Sampark and Janjagran Abhiyan’ exercise to seek people’s support on the decision to end Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370 of the Constitution, with its leaders and workers asked to fan out across the country to hold meetings. He met many film directors, actors including Vevek Oberoi and Solicitor general of Maharashtra, Anil Singh Thakur. During the meetings Gupta said that “article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir was development dampener” as it hampered the socio-economic development of the state and prosperity of people of J&K.
During the meeting with bollywood personalities Gupta said, once a favourite Bollywood destination, Kashmir skidded from the preference list of the Hindi film industry after militancy started in 1989. But after the abrogation of article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, the situation continues to improve in Kashmir, there is a lot of hope that soon Bollywood, Telugu and Tamil film industries will fall in love with the valley again. The return of Bollywood is not only good news for cinema lovers in the valley but the government hopes it would also help revive the tourism sector and create employment for local youth, which was badly hit by the militancy. He also requested for support from Bollywood to invest in cinema halls and other infrastructure needed to promote cinema in the state.
He also requested to visit the film makers to visit the areas falling in Jammu like Bhaderwah, Patnitop and other hilly areas having connectivity with Himachal Pardesh via Bhaderwah Chamba road. He said these areas also have a potential for shooting being laden with green forests, meadows and valley.
Gupta also met managing director of Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation, Abhimanyu Kale and discussed various projects which can be executed in coming years in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Gupta assured full support for the erecting of proposed resorts at Srinagar and Ladakh.
Gupta also paid visited and had darshan of Lal Bagh Ka Raja accompanied by Khemchand Bhagani, Abhimanyu Kale, Managing Director MTDC, S. Ambadekar, local corporator and many BJP local leaders. Gupta was also felicitated by the management and Trustees of Sidhi Vinayak.