The death of 22-year-old tourist R Thirumani from Tamil Nadu at the hands of stone pelters in Kashmir has cast a shadow over flow of tourists to the Valley in summer seasons. While the Tamil Nadu Government has sought to immediately recall all the tourists back home, the Defence Minister and the BJP expressed concern over impact of the incident on tourism in the State.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami spoke to his Jammu & Kashmir counterpart Mehbooba Mufti and asked her to facilitate safe return of 130 tourists to the State.

The BJP, which is in alliance with the ruling PDP in the State, has expressed concern over the incidents and its possible fallout on tourism. “This attack has come at a time when the tourist season is just commencing and all stakeholders linked with the tourism industry are keenly awaiting the arrival of tourists in large numbers,” BJP national vice-president Avinash Rai Khanna said. “Such incidents come as a shock for all, including the tourists,” he added.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too said in New Delhi the incident was “completely condemnable” and not “very conducive” to tourism in the State. She also said the armed forces have to deal firmly with terrorism.

“The killing of the Chennai youth could be the proverbial final nail in the coffin of tourism in Kashmir,” Ashfaq Siddiq, president of Travel Agents Association Kashmir (TAAK), said.

“This is a sad incident which should not have happened. Unfortunately, we feel that it will have an impact on tourist arrivals to Kashmir. I think it will be the final nail in the coffin,” Siddiq said.

The incident took place when Thirumani, a resident of Chennai was returning to Srinagar from Gulmarg with his family when their vehicle was caught in stone pelting. The young man was hit by a stone on his right temple. He was rushed to hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Selvan was employed in an IT company in Chennai and was the son of Selvi and Rajaelu, who works in a Defence establishment at Avadi near Chennai. His mortal remains are expected to reach Chennai late on Tuesday.

J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti termed the death of the tourist “murder of humanity” and said the incident had rattled the mother in her. Those who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion, she said after meeting the father of Chennai resident in the hospital. The issue would be discussed and debated on television for days and “we will be silently watching the murder of humanity, which has been unheard of in the State of Jammu & Kashmir,” the Chief Minister said.

Expressing regret over the incident, the Chief Minister questioned the education being imparted to children. “The mother in me is rattled about the kind of education we are imparting to our next generation,” she said.

“What are we teaching our children? To pick up stones and kill anyone walking on the road? This is not what our religion Islam preaches. Our religion teaches us to take care of our guests. These people or boys who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion,” she said.

Meanwhile, describing the death of the tourist as “absolutely unfortunate,” the Defence Minister said “I don’t know whether it (the incident) was inadvertent or (committed) knowingly but it is completely condemnable.”

Airing these views in an interaction with media persons after inaugurating the bi-annual Navy Commanders’ Conference, Sitharaman also said, “I am sure the Chief Minister (Mehbooba Mufti) herself is keen on getting more tourists to Kashmir because that will also help in restoring normalcy. So, if that has been a stated desire, for a stone pelting incident to have hurt and killed a tourist, it’s certainly not very conducive to that.”

Responding to a question on whether the Army’s tough posture in dealing with the situation in the Kashmir valley has led to a spike in militancy, the Defence Minister said the armed forces have to be firm with terrorists. She said there is need to understand that the issue is very sensitive and has a great deal of nuance.

“You can’t hold the armed forces responsible for being firm with terrorists. We need to be firm with terrorists. So, we have to understand first about putting everything back at the doorstep of the Army... They have to be firm...,” she said. At the same time there needs to be free and safe movement of tourists so that normalcy can be restored in the Valley, the Minister said.

Courtesy: The Pioneer, Wednesday, 09 May 2018 | PNS | New Delhi/Chennai