Srinagar, Feb 24: Union Minister G Kishan Reddy, in a veiled dig, said, "After a "record surge" in tourism in Jammu and Kashmir, some politicians are also having a leisure time in the Valley and other parts of the Union Territory". He, however, did not name anyone. 

 

Recently, videos of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi skiing in Gulmarg in north Kashmir, and he and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra enjoying a ride on a snow scooter there went viral on social media.

 

 

"After Independence, the tourism footfall in Jammu and Kashmir has seen a record surge. If we look at figures for one year, in 2022, it was about 1.8 crore tourists in J-K," Reddy, the Union tourism minister, said. There were "hardly any tourists" but today some politicians are "also playing there" and having a leisure time in Srinagar and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Reddy said.

 

"It is a good thing, people must go, it is part of our India. That is the situation today, people are eager to visit Jammu and Kashmir," he said. These statements came as he was addressing a function held at the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering and Nutrition (IHM), Pusa, here on Thursday.