After the death of a tourist from Chennai in a stone pelting incident, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) on Tuesday said that the amnesty given to the stone pelters by the state as well as the Government of India needs to be re-looked at.
In a statement JCCI President Rakesh Gupta said, “Chamber feels that crore of rupees sincerely spent by the government on the road shows to promote tourism has all gone down the drain. The Chamber also feels that the amnesty given to the stone pelters was a great gesture by both the state as well as government of India but now needs to be relooked at.”
Gupta, in the statement added that JCCI is extremely agonized over the incident of the alleged attack on a leisure tourist and a young Kashmiri girl being targeted by stone pelters resulting into the death of a tourist and leaving the girl child critically injured.
“The JCCI feels that J&K is known for the hospitality all over the world and guests coming in are always treated as next to god. It was for the first time in the history that a leisure tourist has been targeted which is a matter of great concern. It shall not be out of place to mention that the tourism is the backbone of the economy of our state and keeps the kitchen fire stoked for most Kashmiris in particular. Any attempt to target the tourists would mean hitting the economy and livelihood of every common man,” the statement added.
However, the Chamber has appealed all political shades to work together so that calm can be restored in the streets of the valley.
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“It is not the time for blame game to score political brownie points. We appeal people from all spectrums-social, civil societies, main stream political parties and joint resistance movement leaders to rise above ideologies, agendas and party politics and come together to ensure restoration of calm and sense of security on the streets of Kashmir. A joint appeal from all is the dire need of the hour to the youth to shun path of violence, ” Gupta said in the statement.
The Chamber also said that it is the time to think deep as to what will be the final outcome of all that is happening and who shall be responsible and answerable to the generations to come.
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