5 days ago
Mirwaiz warns of protests against liquor shops in J&K
Calling the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to open liquor shops in some areas 'disturbing', Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Friday warned that the move could spark protests.
Speaking at Jamia Masjid, he said, 'I want to draw the attention of the people and the authorities towards a very serious and disturbing development. A notice by the Batmaloo traders and business community for public information states that they are closing down shops for three days to protest the opening of a liquor shop in the area.'
Urging immediate action by authorities, Mirwaiz said that the opening of new liquor shops is 'totally unacceptable' to the people of Kashmir.
'It is an assault on our religious, cultural and societal ethos and a complete disregard for it — a deliberate attempt to ruin our people and our future generations. Already, we are grappling with the menace of drug addiction and now the authorities are promoting liquor to further ruin the people and our societal and cultural fabric,' he said, addressing the Friday congregation.
He said that the authorities are aware that J&K has Muslim majority population, consumption of liquor 'is against the tenets of Islam' and yet it is being promoted.
'Why don't they promote it in Gujarat, which is a dry state — why J&K? Hasn't tourism flourished here for decades without liquor, as this is the common ridiculous argument made?' he asked.
Mirwaiz also urged the Omar Abdullah government to 'intervene and ensure' that this action is corrected.
'It is their duty to ensure that such proposals are nipped in the bud. If they fail, then the ulema (religious authorities), civil society and people in general will have no option but to protest and come out against this assault,' he said.
In March this year, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had dismissed reports of new liquor vends being opened in Kashmir. Issuing a clarification, the government mentioned that as per the J&K Excise Policy for the year 2025-26, notified on February 15 this year, 305 vends (wine shops) were put on e-auction. After the culmination of the bidding process, 271 vends were allotted through e-auction process (conducted by J&K Bank) to successful bidders.
At present, the number of liquor vends in Jammu is 291, while 14 are operational in Kashmir.
