Srinagar, July 4 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday welcomed the resolution of the mandi tax issue affecting mutton traders, reiterated the need for better relations between India and Pakistan, and said Amarnath pilgrims should be allowed to move more freely so that the local economy benefits from the annual pilgrimage.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said the issue concerning mutton traders had been resolved after intervention by the government.
“There was injustice with the mutton traders. The livestock was neither coming from Punjab nor being sold there. It was being brought from Rajasthan through the highway, and imposing mandi tax on it was unfair to our people. If the issue has now been resolved, it is a good thing,” he said, adding that the government had been in continuous touch with the Punjab government on the matter.
Responding to questions on recent remarks advocating dialogue with Pakistan, Abdullah accused sections of the media of selectively highlighting such statements.
He said the idea of maintaining better ties with neighbouring countries was in line with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s approach.
“Neighbours cannot be changed, only friends can. Better relations should be maintained with neighbours,” he said.
Asked about claims made in a recently published book that has triggered political controversy, Abdullah said he had neither read nor heard about it and declined to comment.
On the annual Amarnath Yatra, the chief minister said all arrangements under the elected government had been put in place and expressed hope that pilgrims would undertake the pilgrimage smoothly and return safely.
He said security and law and order arrangements were being handled by the concerned authorities and appealed to pilgrims to pray for peace and communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion that pilgrims spend a part of their travel budget locally, Abdullah said it would benefit the region’s economy but added that visitors should be allowed greater freedom of movement.
“If they remain confined to their vehicles and are not allowed to move around, how will they spend here? They should be allowed to visit places and interact with people so that local businesses also benefit,” he said.
Abdullah also welcomed the decision to defer the proposed two-day closure of Srinagar International Airport, saying the move had provided relief to the tourism sector.
He said he had raised the issue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and Prime Minister Modi after learning that tourist bookings had begun getting cancelled.
“The immediate problem for Monday and Tuesday has been resolved. When the airport closes later in October, we should be provided alternate flight arrangements through Awantipora Air Base,” he said.(KNS).
