Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Sunday, inaugurated the 9-kilometre-long Chenani - Nashri tunnel on the Jammu – Srinagar highway. After this, he addressed a public rally in Udhampur and said that some people were pelting stones in Kashmir while some others were breaking stones in the same Kashmir to usher in development. PM Modi tourism is the road towards Kashmir’s development. Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also spoke on the occasion and said that the Chenani – Nashri tunnel would not only help the people of Jammu & Kashmir by reducing travel distance but would also bring hearts together and bring her state closer to the nation.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also thanked the Prime Minister for placing trust on her government through difficult times of the previous year. She said to PM Modi, “I cannot help but mention the way you and your government were supportive towards me and my government during the especially difficult times in the last year. You sent the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to support us and it helped us a lot in coming out of those testing times.”
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti stressed on the need of the BJP-PDP alliance for Kashmir and said, “My father Mufti Mohammad Saeed joined hands with you to bring Kashmir out of its troubles”. She also told the Prime Minister that she was happy about how he always succeeded in whatever he sets his mind to.
She spoke of resolving the Kashmir issue through dialogue. She said, “From 1947 till the Kargil war we have won many wars. But our real strength lies in the spirit of democracy in which we resolve issues through dialogue.”
Reiterating her trust in Prime Minister Modi’s efforts towards resolving the Kashmir issue Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said, “With the common agenda that our alliance has, we will show a new path to the youth of Kashmir. Like your call for a New India, you will also inspire the making of a New Jammu Kashmir.”
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also appreciated Prime Minister Modi’s connection with Jammu and Kashmir and said that tour operators requested her to invite the Prime Minister to visit Kashmir Valley to send a message to the whole world that Kashmir is safe for tourists.
