STATE TIMES NEWS
Mumbai: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday heaped praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, he is not authoritative.
Ridiculing the theories that PM Modi acts like an authoritarian, the Chief Minister said, “PM Modi comes from a grassroot level and after having met him so many times, I feel he is open to all the ideas.”
“Despite of the fact that people say that PM Modi has centralised power, I think with NITI Aayog and GST coming up, he has done the reverse and is trying to evolve the country as a true federal structure,” adding, “If he (Modi) has a moral authority and is getting too many votes that doesn’t mean he is an authoritarian. My personal experience is, PM Modi is open to ideas.”
Replying to a question on the BJP’s growth in the country, she said “Regional aspirations are still going to be there, which cannot be ignored. Political landscape is going to change, it won’t be like this always”.
Comparing the approach of the governments led by AB Vajpayee and Narendra Modi towards her state, Mehbooba said she found the current Prime Minister ‘open to ideas’.
“I have spoken to him (Modi) many times. In my personal opinion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is open to ideas. Like Vajpayee, he also came from the grassroots and we are discussing various issues,” she said.
“PM Modi is trying to evolve the country as a true federal structure. We need to reach out to the youth of the state,” the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said.
On the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, Mehbooba said that she feels that it will be good if in some areas of the state it can be revoked for, may be three to six months.
“Being a border state, Jammu and Kashmir has a little different situation. We are being given special treatment and what is wrong in that, because we are the victims.
She also spoke of PM’s quick reaction after the 2014 Kashmir floods.
Mufti said, “Within no time PM Modi visited J&K after the floods and quickly announced a relief monetary package for the state.”
And all this happened when National Conference government was power in J&K, Mufti asserted. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief made the comments while participating at the India Today Conclave 2017.
Chief Minister met the captains of industry and discussed the developing opportunities of doing business in Jammu and Kashmir. She informed the industry leaders that with thrust being laid on improved road and air connectivity and institutional capacity building, the level of ease in doing business in Jammu and Kashmir has enhanced exponentially.
Mehbooba also asked the Bollywood to renew its connections with Kashmir and appealed country’s film industry to act as promoter of State’s tourism.
The Chief Minister reminded the film industry of its warm and affectionate relationship with Kashmir which the people of the State so fondly recall. She appealed the members of film world to take up this thread forward and start re visiting Kashmir in good numbers for shooting.
Mehbooba Mufti said the Government has put in place a Tourism Policy by which the scope of the industry has been institutionalized and the relevant infrastructure is being continuously upgraded. She said Tulip Festival would soon be organised at Srinagar which would be followed by a blossoming season and appealed tourists to come to enjoy this aesthetically enriching season.
Actors Raza Murad, Farida Jalal, Ranjeet, Kiran Kumar and other stars besides Director Akbar Khan and Producer of upcoming film Sargoshian Imran Khan and other Bollywood personalities were present on the occasion. Members of tour and travel bodies from various parts of Maharashtra and Gujarat were also present on the occasion.
Advisor to Chief Minister, Prof. Amitabh Mattoo in his speech said the natural beauty of every region of the State is breath-taking which every citizen of the country should come and enjoy.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Secretary, Tourism, Farooq Ahmad Shah also appealed the media and tourism fraternity of Maharashtra to contribute in promoting tourist arrivals to J&K. He said Maharashtra has remained a good friend of Jammu & Kashmir’s tourism industry and hoped that they would continue to do so.
“I would like to say, Kashmir is the safest place for women. Though relations between two nations (India and Pakistan) do affect us, it is still true with women’s safety in Kashmir,” she said.
Terming Jammu and Kashmir as a “modern state”, she invited people to visit her state.
“I invite people to come and spend time with your family, not just come and invest,” she said when asked if she wants to appeal to businessmen in Mumbai for investment in Kashmir.
Asked to name a place in India but outside Jammu and Kashmir where she would like to go as a tourist, she said, “Pahalgam is my favourite tourist destination. Once a Kashmiri, always a Kashmiri.”
