New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his recent visit to Gujarat’s Sabarmati Riverfront and the Statue of Unity, calling it a gesture that sends out “an important message of unity.”

In a post on X , PM Modi wrote: “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.”

The Prime Minister was responding to a post by Abdullah, who shared his experience jogging along the Sabarmati Riverfront while on a two-day visit to Gujarat for a tourism promotion event.

Abdullah had posted, “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 & 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.”

The visit comes at a time when the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is working to revive its tourism sector following the recent Pahalgam terror attack that severely impacted travel to the region.

During his Gujarat visit, Abdullah is engaging with tour operators and stakeholders in an effort to rebuild confidence in Kashmir as a safe travel destination.

“Gujarat, along with Maharashtra and West Bengal, has always played a major role in Kashmir’s tourism economy,” he said, expressing optimism that Gujarati tourists would return in large numbers.

–IANS

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