Omar thanks Home Minister Shah for reopening 14 tourist destinations in J-K
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah for reopening 14 tourist destinations in the Union Territory, which were closed in April last year following the Pahalgam terror attack.
"Recently, the Union home minister had come to Jammu and I had talks with him. Before that, I met him in Delhi as well. My request with regard to tourism was that the areas which have been closed should be reopened. There is no purpose served by keeping these destinations closed. We did not close these places even at the worst of times.
"I was assured by the home minister that these places will be reopened and orders for the same have now been issued. I am thankful to the home minister for that. The local people have borne losses (due to closure). Now, I hope people will visit these beautiful places," Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
The lieutenant governor, who heads the security apparatus in Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday ordered the reopening of 11 tourist destinations in Kashmir and three in the Jammu region. These destinations were among the 80-odd places which were shut down for visitors in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22 last year that left 26 persons, mostly tourists, dead.
On the controversial remarks made by BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa, the chief minister said the truth has prevailed. "The truth did come out after that. The case was against him (Randhawa). If my information is correct, a case was filed against him for occupying government land," Abdullah said.
He alleged there is always a difference in the words and deeds of BJP leaders.
"It is a trait of the BJP that there is a difference in their words and deeds. They talk about Jammu and Kashmir and nominated a person to the Rajya Sabha from here. He spent 90 per cent of his (MPLAD) funds in Uttar Pradesh.
"He (Ghulam Ali Khatana) is from J-K. He has taken an official house here. Khatana sahib lives here and works from here but when it comes to CDF, he spends 90 per cent of it in UP," Abdullah alleged.
Asked about electricity supply during the month of Ramzan, the chief minister said he is scheduled to chair a meeting of officials where all aspects and arrangements will be reviewed.
"We would make all efforts to ensure that people face the least amount of difficulty during the holy fasting month," he added.
On the protests by daily wagers, Abdullah said there is no need for the street protests as the government has announced on the floor of the Assembly that they shall be regularised this year as per a scheduled process.
"It has been said on the floor of the Assembly that they will be regularised through a process under a time table. If somebody is provoking them for political benefits, they should not become tools in their hands.
"I will listen to you and do anything if you ask with love. Try intimidating me, then nothing will happen. If they have something to say, they should come and tell me. These street protests are not good for them or their future. We have said they will be regularised this year in a time-bound manner," he added.
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US VP JD Vance says Lebanon not part of ceasefire, calls it ‘misunderstanding’
Budapest/Washington: US Vice President J D Vance has said that Lebanon was never included in the ceasefire understanding with Iran, describing the confusion as a “legitimate misunderstanding”.
Speaking to reporters before departing from Hungary, Vance said, “I think the Iranians thought that the ceasefire included Lebanon and it just didn’t. We never made that promise.”
He stressed that the United States had not included Lebanon in the scope of the ceasefire at any stage.
His remarks come amid continued Israeli strikes in Lebanon, where more than 200 people were reported killed, even as ceasefire talks between Iran and the US move forward.
Vance said Israel had “offered … to check themselves a little bit in Lebanon because they want to make sure that our negotiation is successful”.
He warned that if Iran allows the situation in Lebanon to affect the negotiations, it could derail the talks.
“If Iran wants to let this negotiation fall apart in a conflict where they were getting hammered over Lebanon, which has nothing to do with them and which the United States never once said was part of the ceasefire, that’s ultimately their choice,” he said.
