Some pelt stones, others build: Narendra Modi

Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the youths of Kashmir Valley have to decide between “tourism and terrorism” and that their preference will determine their future. He asked them to give up their stone-pelting pastime and become part of the sustainable and fast-paced development of the state manifested in the government’s mission as the 40 years of violence has not helped anyone but only “so many mothers have lost their sons.”

Mr Modi who was on a brief visit of the Valley to inaugurate the country’s longest road tunnel which will reduce the distance between twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu by two hours said that if tourism had been promoted in these 40 years, the world “would have been at Kashmir’s feet”.

While speaking at a public rally after dedicating the 9.2-km tunnel to the nation, he assured the people that entire country is with Jammu and Kashmir if tourism is the focus. Trying to reason with the stone-pelters of the Valley, he said that stones can be used for better purposes — building infrastructure.

“On one hand, the youth of the Valley are throwing stones and, on the other hand, over 2,500 youth of this very place toiled hard day and night to be part of (blasting and extraction) processes to make this tunnel through,” he said.

He promised to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the development of J&K and sought the cooperation of the people in this regard and said that there were two options-tourism and terrorism-before the youth of the Valley which can determine their future.