Jammu and Kashmir’s Tourism Minister Nuwang Rigzin Jora on Wednesday said the “inopportune” statements made by the Centre about infiltration and presence of militants in the state are “damaging the state’s tourism industry”.

“Yes, such statements, I wouldn’t shy away to say, end up damaging our tourism industry,” Jora said, responding to a question about statements made by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Home Ministry and Defence officials about infiltration and presence of militants in the state. “We would request them to exercise caution while issuing statements about law and order in J-K. We have already spoken to them and told them that tourism trade in the Valley is very vulnerable,” Jora said.

The minister also urged the media “not to exaggerate militancy-related incidents in the Valley”. Jora said that when all was going well for tourism in Kashmir, the media had played up the news about the presence of Taliban in Kashmir.