Srinagar, July 4: Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call urging Amarnath pilgrims to spend at least 10 percent of their pilgrimage budget on locally made products, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said Amarnath pilgrims must be allowed to move freely in J&K if the Centre wants them to contribute to the local economy.
Omar told reporters here that such spending would only be possible if yatris were allowed to interact with local markets.
The Chief Minister said confining pilgrims to their vehicles defeats the purpose of the PM’s appeal to support local businesses under the “Vocal for Local” initiative.
“The pilgrims should be allowed to get out of their vehicles and move around. Otherwise, what will they spend? They are being brought in like prisoners and are not allowed to move freely,” he said.
“If they are allowed to visit markets and other places, they will spend a part of their budget here, and the local people will also benefit.”
Omar said that his Government has completed all the responsibilities for smooth conduct of the Yatra that fell within its domain.
“I hope the yatris come in large numbers, have darshan without any difficulty, and return home safely. The arrangements that were to be made by the elected Government have been completed. Security, law and order, and the arrangements by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board are being overseen by the Lok Bhavan,” he said.
Asked about the debate over his remarks on dialogue with Pakistan and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah signing a letter by 100 people calling for engagement with the neighbouring country, the Chief Minister dismissed the controversy, saying dialogue had long been part of India’s stated policy.
“Farooq Abdullah signing the letter and me talking about dialogue-why is news being made out of it? When RSS leaders say the same thing, it is not highlighted. There is no controversy to be created over this,” he said.
“Dialogue is the way of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who said that neighbours cannot be changed; only friends can be changed. Therefore, better relations must be maintained with our neighbours,” he added.
On the resolution of the mandi tax issue in Punjab affecting mutton traders from J&K, the Chief Minister welcomed the decision, describing the levy as unfair to traders from the Union Territory.
“They were facing injustice. The goods were neither coming from Punjab nor being sold there. They were being transported to J&K from Rajasthan via the highway, and despite that, imposing a mandi tax was unjust. It is welcome that the matter has been resolved,” he said.
