The Karnataka government will buy land in Jammu and Kashmir to set up a yoga and tourism promotion centre in the conflict-ridden region, senior BJP leader and Karnataka Tourism Minister CT Ravi told TNM.
“We will buy land in Jammu and Kashmir and build a tourism centre for Karnataka. It will be a win-win situation for all. We will exchange culture as tourists all over the world visit there (Kashmir) and we will attract their attention and make them learn about Karnataka. Tourists who visit Jammu and Kashmir will learn about our food, our culture and our tourist attractions. We will ask for land and then we'll finalize,” Ravi told TNM.
Ravi’s statements came after a Cabinet meeting was held to discuss the issue. Before Karnataka, the BJP-ruled state Maharashtra has expressed interest in setting up tourism promotion centre in the Valley.
The Karnataka Minister’s announcement comes over a month after the central government removed the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcated the state into 2 Union Territories. The Union Territory of Ladakh was carved out and the rest of the state was designated as a Union Territory with a legislature. The decision came even as there was no functional Assembly in place and President’s rule was put in place in the Valley
For over a month now, the Valley has been under a communication blockade. Currently, only 26,000 landlines are working in the state and there has been no mobile or internet connectivity. All major political leaders, including former CMs, of the state, except those from the BJP, have been put under indefinite detention. Though there have been media reports on incidents of violence and crises of essential commodities in the state, authorities have denied these reports as well as allegations of violence against dissenters.
Congress leaders in Karnataka and across the country have opposed the BJP-led union government’s decisions in the Valley.