SRINAGAR: For the first time in decades, there was no shutdown or blanket security curbs in the Valley even as the G20 tourism meeting got underway in Srinagar on Monday. This is in sharp contrast to the past, when there would be calls for hartal from Islamabad and shops would remain shut whenever a major event happened in Srinagar.
Jammu and Kashmir has changed and there are no takers for such shutdown calls now, said Union minister Jitendra Singh. “The mindset of the common man has changed,” he added, noting that 61 delegates from 29 countries are currently in Kashmir, soaking in the culture and beauty of the picturesque Valley.
The objective of the G20 Tourism Working Group meet is to bring back film shooting to the Valley. Already, shooting permission has been sought for 370 films.
Shah Rukh Khan, Rajkumar Hirani and Karan Johar have been in Srinagar for shooting their films.
Actor-producer Ram Charan attended the G20 meet on Monday. He enthralled the audience when he and South Korea Ambassador Chang Jae-bok shook a leg together on stage to the beats of the popular song Naatu Naatu, which won an Oscar.