Delhi’s G20 message from J&K: 2 generations lost, change here

Delegates were presented with a Kashmiri shawl and a Dogri saffa upon their arrival. (Express)

The Minister of State for PMO, giving an example, said that unlike in the past, there were no takers for strike calls here anymore. “If such an event was held earlier, a strike call would have been given from Islamabad and shops on Residency Road (in the heart of) Srinagar would have shut down. Now there is no hartal even if the call for hartal comes from here or there,” he said.

“This change has happened. Common people on the streets of Srinagar want to move on. They have lost two generations [due to militancy],” he said, addressing the delegates at a side event on “Film Tourism for Economic and Cultural Preservation”.

The minister expressed hope that the delegates highlight the positives in the Valley when they return. “I hope that when our friends go back, they will be our ambassadors… about the situation here and how it appears,” he said.

At the entry to the venue of the G20 meeting in Srinagar on Sunday. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi)

In his address, Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy said, “Film tourism has emerged as a powerful medium to promote tourism industry, and the government is chalking out a comprehensive strategy for its growth in J&K.”

A draft National Strategy on Film Tourism was also released on the occasion, which aims to promote India as a film tourism destination.

Invoking Kashmir’s centuries-old history that started with the Martand Sun Temple, Reddy said, “I would like to highlight the beauty and cultural heritage of the host destination. Srinagar is one of India’s oldest cities.”

Earlier in the morning, the delegates, who arrived in Srinagar on a chartered flight, were given a warm welcome at the airport. They were presented a Kashmiri pashmina shawl and a Dogri saffa, and then taken to the meeting venue, Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre, amid tight security.

Speaking to reporters later, G20 Sherpa Amitabh Kant said that “all G20 countries except China are participating in the working group meetings in Srinagar”. Although Kant did not name any country other than China, The Indian Express has learnt that Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt – which was a special invitee – also chose to stay away from the event.

Kant, however, said: “Travel and tourism is totally a private sector activity so their (Turkey and Saudi Arabia) tour operators and travel agents are here. There are 61 participants here from 29 countries. I can say that the tourism meeting in Srinagar has had an outstanding response. Countries don’t come for various reasons.”

NSG commandos at Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Thursday ahead of the G20 meet . (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi)

Responding to a question on advisories issued by some countries against travel to J&K, Kant said, “If these travel advisories were so stringent, their representatives would not have come. All G7 countries are participating here. Kashmir is a peaceful destination and we will see peace, progress and prosperity here.”

On the unprecedented security arrangements in Srinagar for the G20 events, MoS Singh said, “Whenever there is a meeting of this scale, you always have scaled up security. It is the responsibility of the local administration to make sure that there is no lapse.”

On initiation of the political process in J&K, Singh said, “I don’t know what you mean, the political process is already going on. We have DDCs (District Development Councils) and panch/sarpanch etc. Is that not the political process?”

He said this question should be answered by earlier governments. “The political process means grassroots. Why was J&K deprived and what was the vested interest of these governments at that point of time? It is this government that is to be credited for having introduced the political process right at the grassroots,” he said.

Speaking to The Indian Express, the head of US delegation, Philip Cummings said, “We are happy to support the G20 and to participate in the working group meeting in Srinagar.”