Kashmir witnessed normalcy, heightened tourism under Manmohan Singh: Congress

Taking a swing at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the current state of unrest in the Valley and India's severely deteriorating ties with Pakistan, the Congress on Sunday asserted that Jammu and Kashmir have comparatively experienced normalcy under the tenure of Manmohan Singh, and that tourism had witnessed its most flourishing days.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policy has been a failure and a disaster. He has no road map in engaging with Pakistan. During the tenure of former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who was taunted by then BJP chief minister of Gujarat Narendra Modi, Kashmir Valley resulted near normalcy," Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma told ANI.

He also blamed Prime Minister Modi for the severe hit taken by the tourism sector in the Valley in the wake of the unrest.

"Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tenure saw a record arrival of foreign and Indian tourists in the Kashmir Valley. Today there is no tourism," he added.

Meanwhile, the Congress has also asked for a thorough investigation into the reports of Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI funding separatist leaders in Kashmir to spread violence. Congress leader Tom Vadakkan said that such issues are serious and need enquiry.

"Whatever the information we have must be investigated because these are serious matters who are funding the separatists and who are the recipients of these kinds of funds. All this should be enquired immediately," Vadakkan told ANI.

According to reports, post the recent arrest of two ISI operatives in India, it has come to light that separatists in Jammu and Kashmir area have been getting a constant flow of funds - to the tune of Rs 70 lakh - from the Pakistan ISI over the past few months.

Slew of documents that have been accessed cite that the nexus between Pakistan and the separatist leaders is responsible for instigating the youth to conduct violent acts in the conflict-ridden state of Jammu and Kashmir.

-ANI