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JAMMU & KASHMIR

“Removal of government advisory Tourism forms 6.8 percent of Kash-
on Kashmir hasn’t altered the situa- mir’s GDP and employs 2 million people.
tion on the ground. The tourists are still Now the industry stares at an uncertain
reluctant to come,” says Manzoor Ahmad future. A significant number of people as-
Pakhtoon, a member of Jammu and sociated with it have either been laid off
Kashmir Tourism Alliance. “But we hope or are in the process of losing their jobs.
the situation might change”. Now Kashmir’s beleaguered tourism
Pakhtoon fondly reminisces the pre- industry is banking on snow to resusci-
August 5 period when hotels in Kash- tate it. According to hoteliers, a trickle of
mir had 60 to 70 percent occupancy. visitors has started arriving. Some local
“Houseboats were booked to the gun- news channels have also shown tour-
wales, despite the Pulwama attack,” says ists playing with snow at Gulmarg and
Pakhtoon. “ Pahalgam, Kashmir’s prominent scenic
But this winter has so far turned out resorts.
to be the worst in years. Compared to last “It is wonderful here. I can’t have
gradually been relaxed, the commu- year’s records, the occupancy in hotels enough of it,” said Sanjay Kumar. “I appeal
nication clampdown largely stays. The has halved. to people in rest of the country who are
Valley still doesn’t have the prepaid Lifting of advisory in October hasn’t planning a holiday to visit Kashmir. It will
mobile phone and more importantly the thus made much of a difference. “Tour- be an unforgettable experience”. But as
internet service. ist arrival depends on how the situation of now the hoteliers and the other trad-
The hoteliers display a mixed senti- evolves in the Valley and its coverage in ers associated with the tourism industry
ment: only some are upbeat. The tour- the media,” says Nasir Ahmad Khan, the are keeping their fingers crossed. “We
ism department, more so. They hope to senior Vice President of Kashmir Cham- haven’t lost hope,” says Pakhtoon.
receive more tourists as the exorbitant ber of Commerce and Industries. “And
cost of air tickets to Valley comes down. that seems to be still sometime in future”. LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

dilemma for the separatists and post tions. And they have already observed it
impertinent questions on their ideologi- Participation in polls, earlier during the recent Block Devel-
cal narrative. New Delhi declares ump- opment Council polls. This didn’t make
teenth victory in the battle for hearts all varieties of them, much of a difference though consider-
and minds of Kashmiris and pretends takes on several ing the small nature of the exercise.
Kashmir as a settled issue. Mainstream In contrast, boycotting an Assembly
politicians in the fray lunge for the interpretations. While election will have a far-reaching fallout.
power they suddenly acquire. But sepa- New Delhi sells it It will leave the field open to potential
ratists feel they have lost face — some of new political players.
them more intensely than the others. as a vote for India, More so, to the BJP that has already
“The issue has dimensions to it that made some inroads in the Valley by
go to the core of the problem in the mainstream parties in enlisting a cadre of thousands. In the
state., because all the political intrepre- Kashmir generally sell it event of a boycott, the BJP with the help
tations of the poll participation are of its workers could very well pull off
motivated and hence false. Serious as vote for governance, an electoral performance unrelated to
because the truth is spread across all the separatists see the its support base. And together with a
interpretations,” says Naseer Ahmad, possible sweep in Jammu, the BJP could
a columnist. “And over and above all voting as a betrayal well be in a position to form the next
these meanings, elections in Valley have to their cause if not as government in the UT.
an independent reality of their own. The “A mainstream party which mulls a
majority of the people participating in support for New Delhi boycott of the electoral process will be
polls are barely conscious of the conten- expected to take this prospect on board,”
tious politics surrounding them and says Ahmad. “This makes boycott of
vote primarily for its utilitarian value”. the polls more difficult a decision than it appears. And with a
However, the revocation of Article 370 has further trans- heavy political cost”.
formed the political context. Now other than separatists,
mainstream politicians too have cause to boycott the elec- LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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