No more strikes or school closures, separatism has ended:LG Sinha

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday emphasized the positive changes in the region post abrogation of Article 370. During a press interaction at Raj Bhavan Sinha stated that Kashmir is no longer plagued by frequent strikes, school closures, and separatist activities, and also lauded the efforts of security agencies in dismantling the “terror ecosystem.” He highlighted the J&K administration’s primary focus on four pillars: Peace, Progress, Prosperity, and People.

The LG mentioned that J&K has witnessed the benefits of true democracy for the first time in the past seven decades. “The establishment of a three-tier Panchayat Raj System has ensured governance at the grassroots level, while the peaceful atmosphere has allowed people to go about their daily lives without disruptions. Business activities have flourished, with shops remaining open every day, and children attending schools and colleges regularly. Sinha confidently stated that separatist activities have come to an end”, LG said.

Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for selecting Srinagar as the venue for the Third Tourism Working Group of G-20, the LG believed that the event would boost tourism potential, particularly in eco-tourism, film tourism, and green tourism. He expressed hope that the foreign representatives attending the event would help lift negative travel advisories imposed on J&K by some countries.

Sinha reiterated the administration’s focus on the four P’s—Peace, Progress, Prosperity, and People. He also mentioned plans to develop 300 new destinations to promote film tourism. Responding to concerns about infrastructure, including hotels, the LG assured that the tourist infrastructure was being upgraded rapidly, and world-class hotels would be built within the next two years. Land auctions were being conducted to facilitate the establishment of five-star hotels in Srinagar and Jammu.

Regarding transportation, Sinha announced that E-buses would be introduced in Srinagar and Jammu from August. He acknowledged the issue of high airfares and assured that the administration was working to address the problem, particularly with the discontinuation of Go-Air operations in J&K. When asked about press freedom and the arrest of journalists, the LG stated that 400 newspapers were being published in the UT, emphasizing the presence of absolute press freedom. He noted that only three journalists were under detention, and their cases were being investigated by anti-terror agencies.

When questioned about Pakistan’s objection to the G-20 events in Srinagar, Sinha suggested that Pakistan should focus on addressing its own issues related to food and essential supplies. Harsh Vardhan Shringla, the Chief Coordinator of the G-20 event, supported the LG’s statement, asserting that Pakistan had no authority to question or comment on the G-20 in Srinagar, as the event was unrelated to Pakistan.