Valley hoteliers and travel agents associations Monday condemned the National Investigation Agency (NIA) raids on the residences of businessmen in Kashmir. The trade body also criticized the Indian media for trying to what they termed biased reportage on Kashmir. 

“The raids on the businessman who are linked with the tourism sector is condemnable. We are only concerned about the tourism sector and have not indulged in any such activity, which would affect the sector,” President of Houseboat Owners Association, Ghulam Rasool Siah said.

Siah was addressing a joint presser organised by various tourism related groups including TAAK, TASK, Urban Travel Agents Association (UTAA), Houseboat Owners Association, Indian Travel Operators Association (IOTA) (Kashmir chapter), Hoteliers Club, Kashmir Tourism Alliance and others.

He said that they have so far worked hard to boost the tourism sector and have played a vital role in progress of this sector. “We are putting efforts to boost tourism. How can we get involved in any action that is against our assets and against our community?,” he added.

Lashing out at National media, Siah said that the TV channels are telecasting the news and debates with an aim to destroy Kashmir.

“Every day, the national TV channels are giving worn impression about Kashmir, which has affected the tourism sector of the Valley,” he said.

Demanding complete ban on TV channels for telecasting valley based news, Siah said, “We have been saying since years that national private TV channels must not telecast news about Kashmir,” he added.

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