Tanvir Sadiq, an MLA from the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, found himself in hot water after he said we should think about how banning liquor would affect tourism in the region. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, an important religious leader in Kashmir, quickly responded, saying that Jammu and Kashmir is mainly a Muslim area and shouldn’t promote selling alcohol.
Mirwaiz explained that many other states in India have banned liquor and are doing fine. Instead of focusing on making money from alcohol, he believes the government should set a good example.
“It’s sad that Tanvir thinks we should allow liquor because of tourism. We should be careful about our traditions and values,” Mirwaiz said, highlighting the problems alcohol can cause in society. He mentioned, “Last year, we saw people drinking in boats and auto-rickshaws. Our society is facing many issues already.”
After hearing Mirwaiz’s comments, Sadiq went to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify that he opposes alcohol. He called it a “plague” and stressed that everyone should be included in decisions about liquor bans. He also pointed out that liquor is allowed in some Arab countries known for tourism.
The controversy started when another National Conference leader, Ashan Pardesi, said he wants to close liquor shops in Kashmir for religious and cultural reasons. Former Srinagar mayor Junaid Mattu criticized the National Conference, saying they seem to change their story when elections are over.
In support of the alcohol ban, People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti praised an MLA for pushing a bill against alcohol, saying that more effort is needed from political leaders and the community to fight addiction.
The Awami Ittihad Party joined the call for a full ban on alcohol, emphasizing that alcohol has no place in a spiritually rich place like Kashmir, which is often seen as a land of saints.
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