‘I firmly believe that…’: Omar Abdullah responds after PM Modi praises his Gujarat visit

Omar Abdullah

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday expressed happiness over Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah’s visit to Gujarat. Reacting to Abdullah’s visit to the Sabarmati Riverfront and the Statue of Unity, PM Modi said it would inspire fellow Indians to travel to different parts of the country.

Taking to 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.”

Earlier, Abdullah posted pictures of his morning run at the famed Sabarmati River Front promenade.

He said: "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 182-metre Statue of Unity is the world's tallest statue dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country's first home minister. It is situated near Ekta Nagar, previously known as Kevadia, in Narmada district.

Responding to PM’s post, Abdullah said that he is a firm believer that travel broadens the horizons and the mind. “It’s especially important for us in J&K as tourism is a crucial part of our economy & has the potential to gainfully employ lakhs of people. That’s why I & my colleagues are trying to convince more of our fellow Indians to visit J&K, especially after the tragic events earlier this year,” he said.

I’m a firm believer that travel broadens the horizons & the mind @narendramodi ji. It’s especially important for us in J&K as tourism is a crucial part of our economy & has the potential to gainfully employ lakhs of people. That’s why I & my colleagues are trying to convince more… https://t.co/HJM0QQkQHW

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) August 1, 2025

His remarks came as Jammu and Kashmir has faced a setback in terms of tourism in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 innocent lives.

On Thursday, Omar Abdullah visited the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Kevadia, Gujarat, and praised the project for bringing water to drought-affected areas. CM Abdullah also expressed optimism that with the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, similar projects could be considered for Jammu and Kashmir, to address the water and power shortage.

He was quoted as saying by ANI, “This dam has brought water to areas that knew nothing but drought... It has been J&K's misfortune that we could not even imagine such projects because we were not allowed to stop the water. Now that the Indus Water Treaty has been suspended, maybe there will be some such project in J&K too, so that there will be no shortage of power or water and electricity.”