Bengaluru: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday projected Jammu and Kashmir as a premier filming destination during his outreach in Bengaluru, while also raising concerns over voter roll revisions in the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections.
Interacting with leading filmmakers and representatives of major production houses, Omar Abdullah highlighted Jammu and Kashmir’s scenic beauty, diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage, presenting the Union Territory as an ideal destination for cinema and tourism.
The Chief Minister said the government is committed to making filmmaking in Jammu and Kashmir easier and more accessible by ensuring a friendly and enabling environment for artists and production houses. He assured full support to filmmakers and said recent policy measures, including streamlined permission processes, logistical assistance and incentives for production houses, have been introduced to facilitate film production in the region.
He said cinema has a significant role in boosting tourism and films shot in Jammu and Kashmir can enhance its visibility across the country and inspire travel, creating economic opportunities for local communities. He added that continuous engagement with the film fraternity would help address their requirements and strengthen collaboration.
The interaction was part of the Jammu and Kashmir Government’s focused outreach in South India aimed at building stronger ties with stakeholders in tourism and the film industry. South India, being a major hub of cinema and outbound tourism, is being seen as a key region for promoting J&K as a preferred destination for filmmakers and travellers.
Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq, Director Tourism Jammu Vikas Gupta and other officials were also present during the meeting.
Later, speaking to reporters, Abdullah questioned claims that the BJP had gained an advantage in the West Bengal Assembly elections, alleging manipulation in voter rolls and raising concerns over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
He said the focus on voting percentage was misleading and did not reflect actual voter participation on the ground. According to him, while the percentage turnout appeared higher, the total number of voters had gone down compared to the previous election.
“The percentage has increased because the number of voters has been reduced. Due to the SIR, many voters have been removed. Compared to the previous election, the total number of voters has gone down this time, even though the percentage has gone up,” he said.
Alleging large-scale deletions from electoral rolls, Abdullah claimed that in West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s own constituency, 25 per cent of voters had been removed. He further claimed that in nearly 70 constituencies, the number of voters removed was more than the BJP’s margin of defeat in the last election.
“That means in 70 seats, the margin itself has been wiped out. If this is not a weapon, then what is?” he asked.
Abdullah said he was less worried about tampering of voting machines and more concerned about what he termed as “pre-election management” through delimitation and voter list manipulation. He also expressed disappointment that courts had deferred hearing the issue until after the elections.
On reports of AAP Rajya Sabha MPs led by Raghav Chadha shifting towards the BJP, Abdullah said the “Aaya Ram Gaya Ram” culture was not new in Indian politics and such defections would have limited impact on the ground.
“If they were that strong, they would have been MLAs or Lok Sabha members. I don’t think even one of them can bring 10 votes to BJP on the ground,” he said.
Commenting on the ongoing conflict involving Iran, Abdullah expressed concern over the situation and hoped for an early end to the war.
“We hope and pray that this war ends soon. There is no basis or justification for this war,” he said, adding that rising oil prices, shrinking supplies and scarcity of essential goods were affecting the entire world.
He said Iran deserved compensation for the losses suffered and stressed that peace should be restored at the earliest.
He also accorded administrative approval for the construction of a multi-level car parking facility at Ganderbal at an estimated cost of Rs 9.60 crore, an official spokesman said.
The project aims to address increasing traffic congestion and enhance urban infrastructure in the fast-growing town, the spokesman said, adding that the approval has been granted under the Capex Budget 2026-27 in favour of the Director, Urban Local Bodies, Kashmir.
The spokesman noted that the proposed facility is expected to significantly decongest the busy market areas of Ganderbal, providing organised parking space and improving overall traffic management.
The chief minister emphasised adherence to strict quality standards, transparent tendering processes and timely execution of the project.
He directed the concerned departments to ensure that all necessary approvals and regulatory clearances are obtained before work begins, the spokesman said.
