Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday lauded former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for visiting Gujarat’s Sabarmati Riverfront and the Statue of Unity, calling it a gesture that sends a powerful message of national unity.
“Kashmir to Kevadia! Good to see Shri Omar Abdullah Ji enjoying his run at the Sabarmati Riverfront and visiting the Statue of Unity. His visit to SoU gives an important message of unity and will inspire our fellow Indians to travel to different parts of India,” PM Modi posted on X.
The Prime Minister was responding to Abdullah’s post about his morning run at the riverfront during a two-day visit to Ahmedabad for a tourism promotion event.
“While in #Ahmedabad for a tourism event, I took advantage of being here to get my morning run at the famed Sabarmati River Front promenade. It’s one of the nicest places I’ve been able to run, and it was a pleasure to get to share it with so many other walkers/runners. I even managed to run past the amazing Atal Foot Bridge,” Abdullah wrote.
His visit comes amid efforts by the Jammu and Kashmir administration to revive tourism in the Union Territory, following the recent terror attack in Pahalgam that affected tourist inflow.
During his Gujarat visit, Abdullah is meeting with tour operators and industry stakeholders to rebuild confidence in Kashmir as a safe and attractive travel destination.
“Gujarat, along with Maharashtra and West Bengal, has always played a major role in Kashmir’s tourism economy,” he said, expressing optimism about the return of Gujarati tourists in large numbers.