First look at women safety in Delhi, then talk about tourism in J-K: BJP tells Kapil Mishra

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said Delhi Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra should first remember that he and his government in the national capital have serious questions to answer about women's security, and, therefore, have no right to talk about tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.

"When you question a state about terrorism and tourism and try to correlate these two, I think it is important to understand that you (Kapil Mishra) have some serious questions to answer when it comes to women's security, and if you are unable to mantain women's security, you have no right to talk about tourism," BJP leader Shaina NC told ANI.

 

This comment from the BJP came a day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader taunted Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for not accepting Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani as a terrorist to which the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister retorted that women are the safest in Kashmir.

Speaking at the launch function of the Bharat International Travel Bazaar (BITB), Mehbooba said, "Any place in the world, including Delhi, women are safest in my Kashmir. They move around in shikaras and houseboats. That's the biggest thing my state can offer. As compared to any place in the world, including Delhi, women and girls are safest; there is no fear of getting raped in a car."

She also said that the biggest confidence building measure would be if a visit is paid to Jammu and Kashmir.

"The biggest confidence building measure is if you visit our state, it shows that you trust us. We need you, I don't know if you need Kashmir or not, but Kashmir needs you," Mehbooba said.

"People of our nation are so nice and so are the people of Jammu and Kashmir," she added.

Earlier, the Delhi Minister asked Mehbooba "if she considered Burhan Wani a terrorist."

"Do you consider Burhan Wani a terrorist or not?" the AAP leader asked.

"It can't be that you don't accept Burhan Wani as a terrorist and then expect tourism to increase. Terrorism and tourism can't go together. (Union Tourism Minister) Mahesh Sharma said Kashmir is our pride, but terrorists are treated as tourists there," said Mishra.

"We can fight Pakistan, but how do we fight with people who give shelter to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir," he added.

The AAP minister underlined that it is "painful" to see that "terrorists are being treated as tourists in Kashmir."

Mufti in the month of July had said that she would have given Burhan Wani "a chance had she known he was trapped in the encounter."

Burhan Wani was killed by the security forces on July 8 following which there was a huge unrest in the state.

He was speaking at 'Bharat International Travel Bazaar' event organised here. The eent was attended by Mehbooba Mufti and Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung.