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- Slams tourism ban in Budgam, calls it an economic assault
- Thousands losing livelihood as prime destinations remain shut without reason
SRINAGAR: People’s Democratic Front (PDF) President and former Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen on Saturday expressed scepticism over former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s announcement to launch a massive door-to-door signature campaign for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a gathering at Gurwait, Budgam, Yaseen said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have complete faith in the Supreme Court, which has granted the Centre eight weeks to respond to the plea seeking restoration of statehood.
“We hope and believe that statehood will be restored with full dignity and honour,” he said. However, Yaseen questioned Omar Abdullah’s motives, calling the campaign a “belated political gimmick.” “Where was this urgency in the past five years? The people’s mandate is not a tool for showmanship. If Omar Abdullah truly cared, he would have launched such initiatives long ago, instead of waiting for the Supreme Court’s deadline to make headlines,” Yaseen remarked.
He further said, “Instead of wasting time on a signature campaign, Omar Abdullah should bring a proper bill in the Assembly to press for statehood. If you need our assistance in the Opposition, we are ready for it. This signature campaign will be an insult to the people’s mandate.” Yaseen emphasised that while the PDF supports any democratic movement for statehood, leadership must come with sincerity, not electoral calculations.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir do not need symbolic gestures; they need committed political action and united pressure on the Centre,” he added. He appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to restore statehood without delay, preferably in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.
“This is not a favour from Delhi; it is our constitutional right,” he stressed. The PDF President also criticised the administration for keeping several tourism destinations in Budgam closed despite repeated pleas from locals. “By keeping these places shut, you are denying thousands of families their livelihood. If the government can reopen tourist spots in other parts of J&K, why not Budgam?” he asked.
Hakeem also appealed for the immediate revocation of restrictions on major tourist destinations in Budgam, including Doodhpathri, Yousmarg, and Tosamaidan. He noted that these bans have badly hit the tourism-dependent economy, depriving thousands of families of their livelihoods in sectors like transport, pony services, hotels, handicrafts, and local markets.
“The Lieutenant Governor has assured me during a recent meeting that these restrictions will be lifted soon. We expect this promise to be implemented on a fast-track basis. The revival of tourism will open multiple avenues for self-employment and economic revival,” he said. Yaseen concluded by urging all political parties to set aside differences and work together to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s dignity, economy, and democratic rights. “People deserve governance with honour, not political one-upmanship,” he said.
