Jammu: In the J&K Assembly, members of the BJP are not missing any opportunity to push the party into a corner. Omar Abdullah Government deals with a range of issues. Outside the House, however, some party MPs generously praised the First Minister on Friday for his allocation of the annual budget. Amarnath pilgrimage.“Our chief minister’s move to allocate Rs 180 crore for the Amarnath Yatra is a positive step,” Pawan Gupta, a BJP MP from Udhampur west, said, adding that it “reflects the changing times in Jammu and Kashmir”.Linking the government’s moves to wider political and social transformation in the region, Gupta said: “Ultimately what we want is that Kashmir should join the mainstream, and that is slowly happening. In this Parliament, you heard legislators today saying they are proud Indians.” Earlier, we mostly heard about special status. “The MLA said although the BJP remained critical of the government on several issues, the good and constructive decisions should be recognized.In his budget speech last week, Omar said his government was committed to ensuring the safety, comfort and spiritual experience of pilgrims visiting the sacred cave shrine. He proposed to “further modernize pilgrimage infrastructure with an investment of Rs 180 crore during 2026-27 in partnership with the Border Roads Organization to improve road connectivity, emergency response systems and logistical support.” He announced that this initiative would ensure that pilgrims’ pilgrimage becomes safer, smoother and more dignified.Gupta said the chief minister’s current stance on the Amarnath pilgrimage marks a significant shift from the past. “Earlier, Omar Abdullah had a different view on Haj but now his views have changed. As an Indian, it is my duty to appreciate this change,” he said.Bharatiya Janata Party MP Balwant Singh Mankotia also appreciated the change in approach by the chief minister, recalling how Omar had opposed such measures during the 2008 riots when he said “not an inch of land would be given”.Vikram Randhawa, another party MLA representing Bahu constituency, who had created a stir in the House earlier in the day by accusing Kashmiris of illegal settlement on land belonging to the Jammu Development Authority, praised the chief minister for the budgetary allocation for the Amarnath Yatra.
