Braid chopping incidents aimed to malign Kashmir’s image: Tourism Body

As authorities have failed to stop braid chopping incidents or caught the people involved in the act, tourism players here too have become apprehensive about the happenings terming it an attempt to ‘malign Kashmir’s image across world’.
People involved in the tourism trade believe that the continuous incidents of braid chopping would further dent Kashmir’s tourism sector, which is already in doldrums post 2016 unrest.
“It is a serious issue which has confronted not only our society but our economy as well,” said chairman, JK Hotelier Club, Mushtaq Chaya.
“Government should act fast to nip the evil in the bud. Growing number of such incidents has created fear-psychosis among masses as well as tourists,” Chaya said adding that “instead of terming it as mass hysteria authorities should look into more seriously and take action against the elements that are hell bent on ruining our economy.”
“Our tourism is already at the lowest ebb and this is the last thing we wanted,” he said adding that tourists intending to visit Kashmir are becoming apprehensive due to these incidents. Chairman of Kashmir Economic Forum, Showkat Chowdhary, termed the braid chopping incidents as “handiwork of agencies to instill fear”.
“It is nothing but a ploy by agencies to create fear-psychosis among masses as well as tourists so that they don’t come here,” Chowdhary said adding that “government is acting as a mute spectator to mass grievance. If it is not stopped it would further damage our tourism sector.”
Chairman, Kashmir Economic Alliance, Muhammad Yaseen Khan said, “Why aren’t government forces able to catch hold of these unscrupulous elements who have created fear psychosis among masses. If not stopped it could hamper influx of tourists.”
President, Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association, Abdul Majid also expressed concern over growing braid chopping incidents and its negative implication on the tourism sector.