CPM MP moves privilege notice against Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel

CPI(M) Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Elamaram Kareem on Wednesday submitted a privilege notice against Culture Minister Prahlad Singh Patel accusing him of "misleading" the Parliament on the loss in revenue in Jammu and Kashmir tourism sector after the scrapping of the special status of the state.

In his notice, he said Patel refused to provide details despite the Jammu and Kashmir administration sharing the required information to the Centre.

He said the minister had informed the Upper House in a written question by him that information on revenue from tourism is "not maintained" despite the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department informing the Centre about 71% revenue loss in tourism sector between August and October last year.

Kareem had asked a question on November 11 last year about the "percentage of reduction in revenue received from tourism especially in the month of August, September and October 2019" among others. However, he said, information received from the Jammu and Kashmir administration showed that the state replied to the Central Tourism Department regarding his query on November 15 last year.

The Narendra Modi government has scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the state into two union territories, leading to a lockdown in the region, which completed six months on Wednesday, anticipating protests and security implications.

To Kareem's question, the RTI reply showed that the Jammu and Kashmir department informed the Centre that "there has been 71% average decline in revenue from tourism in Jammu and Kashmir during August, September and October 2019."