New Delhi: Noting that Kashmir cannot be held in perpetual isolation, Srinagar mayor Junaid Azim Mattu hailed the holding of the third G20 Tourism Working Group meeting in the city as a pivot to a brighter future for the union territory, one without terror and uncertainties.
Hitting out at the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC) party over leader Farooq Abdullah’s daughter, Safia Abdullah Khan’s allegations of heavy security in the city for G20, the mayor cited a 2013 Zubin Mehta concert — reportedly organised by NC leader and then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah — when Mattu said curfew had been imposed and citizens were not allowed to come out of their homes.
“Only the VIPs attended the concert and common citizens were forced to stay indoors. Security personnel even shot at and injured a biker in the city as he stepped out. They got in BMWs from outside the state to cater to guests,” Mattu told ThePrint.
The Srinagar mayor was reacting to a Twitter post by Khan, Abdullah’s sister, Monday, in which she had posted a photo of a CRPF personnel behind a security picket covered up with G20 posters.
Mattu said unlike in 2013, restrictions for the G20 meet have been placed only along the route taken by the delegations, with locals living there allowed movement.
He added that while he may have political differences with the Bharatiya Janata Party, in power at the Centre, the G20 meet was an event on which every Kashmiri should stand together.
“We cannot be held in isolation for perpetuity. The G20 meet is an achievement because a lot of naysayers who have pushed us into violence and uncertainties are not happy,” he said.
The G2O Tourism Working Group meeting, which started in Srinagar Monday, ends today. China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Egypt and Oman had officially skipped the meeting in Kashmir — the first international event of this scale being held there since the abrogation of Article 370 and withdrawal of special status to the former state and now Union territory of Jammu & Kashmir, in 2019.
Incidentally, trade delegations from both Saudi Arabia and Turkey have come to attend the tourism meet.
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‘Vision of new Kashmir’
Mattu, a leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, formed in 2020 by Altaf Bukhari with members from J&K’s two main parties — the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and NC — hoped that the G20 meet will lead to more foreign tourists coming into Kashmir and withdrawal of travel advisories against the Union Territory by countries, including those who attended the meet.
“One hopes as a citizen of Jammu and Kashmir, as the mayor of Srinagar, the G20 meet is pivotal and leads to removal of adverse travel advisory,” he said.
Outlining his concept of ‘Reimagining Srinagar’, Mattu said he was committed to passing on a more beautiful and a more secure Srinagar to the next generation.
“Vision of new Srinagar is envisaging and reimagining Srinagar. We have a beautiful legacy of rich culture. We are a designated smart city. We are working on making a beautiful and fantastic city not just for the tourists but also for the residents. Srinagar is a kaleidoscope of history and beauty, a land of multiple spirituality,” he said.
As venue of the G20 meet, Srinagar has received a major makeover, with the city being lit up, new footpaths and cycling paths put in place and markets being spruced up.
India assumed presidency of the G20 group of countries in December last year. The presidency will culminate with the G20 Summit to be held in the country later this year.
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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