Valley based tourism players on Monday appealed people to boycott watching Indian news channels which they claimed have been ‘portraying’ Kashmir affairs in negative way under a well planned manner to crush its economy.Addressing a press conference at a local hotel here, people associated with Kashmir tourism industry alleged that some selected Indian news channels are hell-bent on crushing state economy by portraying Kashmir in negative way in their news debates from dawn to dusk.Taking a jibe at the central government for supporting what they termed pseudo-nationalist news channels, they alleged that these channels in order to increase their TRP continuously spew venom against Valley and its people.Chairman Houseboat Owners, Gulam Rasool Siyah while appealing people to boycott these channels said, “they have been enjoying patronage of the government and some political parties whose aim is to crush the state economy”
Siyah said these acts not only have affected tourism trade in Kashmir but in Jammu and Ladakh as well besides raising fingers over the hospitality of the people of Kashmir they are famous for world over.“We need suggestions and ideas to tackle this sensitive issue which has taken toll on the economy of the state,” he said.He said such channels need to be stopped from airing anti Kashmir programs and it is the responsibility of the government to exert a pull on them to stop blurting rubbish about Kashmir for their dirty TRP. Siyah further said that non-state actors are active in spoiling the tourist season in Kashmir. “We leave no stone unturned to make tourists happy, Kashmir valley is famous for hospitality,” he said.On NIA raids, Siyah said such acts which are aimed at to make Kashmir valley economically feeble should be condemned in strong words.“We condemn these raids conducted by NIA in Kashmir. It was also aired that a prominent businessman and Chairman Hoteliers Club Mushtaq Chaya’s residence was also raided, what message did they convey to world,” said he.Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon, Chairman Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Alliance (JKTA) alleged that the police for unknown reasons are harassing tourists at Sonamarg. (CNS)