Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called on the Centre to use its agencies to investigate the “Boycott Kashmir” campaign that gained traction on social media after the Pahalgam attack.
Speaking in Gulmarg after a high-level administrative meeting, Abdullah said the people of Kashmir had unitedly condemned the attack and dissociated themselves from the attackers with the message: “Not in our name.”
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“The biggest difference between this incident and the ones in the past is that, for the first time, people across Kashmir — from Kathua to Kupwara, from big cities to small towns and villages — came out and condemned the attack without any prompting from political, social or religious leaders,” Abdullah said.
Referring to the post-attack backlash, he said, “If, even after this collective condemnation, we are still seen as guilty, then what more can we do?
He said the campaign to boycott Kashmir must be probed as Kashmiris did not carry out this attack. “The attack was neither carried out with their permission nor for their benefit,” he said.
He said that it was unfair to punish the people of Kashmir when they had shown unity and empathy in the face of violence.
“If, God forbid, such an attack happens again, who will come forward to help if they are treated like culprits even after condemning it?” he asked.
Highlighting recent efforts to restore normalcy, Abdullah said that tourism activities had picked up before the attack disrupted momentum.
He said tourism was beginning to recover, but it came to a sudden halt after the incident.
“Cabinet ministers met yesterday in Pahalgam, and today administrative secretaries and senior officers held meetings in Gulmarg to bring back focus on tourism,” he said.
He said that the Education Minister had been asked to encourage school and college excursions to tourist destinations like Pahalgam and Gulmarg. “We want to bring back a sense of normalcy, and these steps are part of that process,” he said.
He admitted that some areas remain under partial or full restrictions due to security concerns.
“Certain destinations are open, but access within them is limited. For instance, tourists can reach Gulmarg but not any way further,’’ he said. “Similarly, Pahalgam is accessible, but areas beyond it remain off-limits”.
He said these are security-based decisions taken after April 22. “If we truly want tourism to revive, we must gradually review and reduce this restricted list,” he said.
Clarifying the role of the elected government, the chief minister stressed that while his administration can promote tourism and build infrastructure, security remains the responsibility of the Lieutenant Governor. “There are three power centres — the Union government, the elected state government, and the LG’s administration — and they must work in coordination to ensure such attacks are not repeated,” he said.
Addressing speculation about strained relations with the Centre, Abdullah said, “I have never alleged a freeze in relations. All I have said is that, going forward, we need to double our efforts and work more closely together.”
He also reiterated that the demand for the return of statehood had not been dropped. “There is a clear reference to it in the formal speech given to the Prime Minister and members of the NITI Aayog Governing Council. The conversation on statehood is very much alive,” he said.
On the proposed memorial for the victims of the Pahalgam attack, Abdullah said the Cabinet had approved the idea in principle and asked the Roads and Buildings Department to prepare a detailed proposal and invite designs. “Once that is done, we will take the project forward,” he said.
