SRINAGAR: Opposition parties and some social and religious groups in Jammu and Kashmir are up in arms against the government’s allowing the sale of beer and other alcoholic beverages at departmental stores in the Union Territory, terming the move as “anti-people”.
The J&K administrative council which met here on Monday under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, approved the proposal for authorising departmental stores to sell beer and other Ready to Drink (RTD) beverages in urban areas.
“The administrative council approved incorporation of liberal provisions in Jammu and Kashmir Liquor License and Sale Rules, 1984 and Excise Policy, 2023-24 for grant of License JKEL-2A for retail sale of beer and Ready to Drink (RTD) beverages in departmental stores in urban areas of UT,” a statement issued by the government had said.
The Congress was the first to react, describing the move as the “worst gift” of the BJP to J&K particularly Jammu which, it said, is the historic Hindu pilgrimage destination in the country.
The party’s J&K unit working president, Raman Bhalla, said, “The people of Jammu gave 25 MLAs to BJP in the last elections, and it has returned the favour with a worst gift. Such disastrous decisions will tarnish the image of Jammu-`Holiest City of Temples’ and the region being the historic pilgrimage destination for it has the most revered shrine of Mata Vaishnodevi”.
He added, “The government earlier resorted to wholesale opening of liquor shops across J&K and now approving sale of alcoholic beverages at common departmental stores will only further encourage our youth to indulge in alcoholism.”
National Conference (NC) leader Rattan Lal Gupta termed the move as “obnoxious” and “anti-people” and urged the Lt. Governor to withdraw the decision “without any second thought”.
He said, “What an irony that the J&K is a Dev Bhumi of Shri Amarnath Ji, Mata Vaishno Devi Ji, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah, Chhati Patshahi (a reference to a Gurdwara in Srinagar named after Guru Hargobind Sahib) and Jammu being known as the City of Temples across the nation. These pious and sacred places are being converted into alcoholic by the LG administration.”
He said that the “disastrous effect” of this decision will soon be more visible in Jammu and less in Kashmir Valley. “This can be well gauged from the fact that there are already more than 210 liquor shops in Jammu while Srinagar has only five liquor shops”, he asserted.
Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an amalgam of Muslim religious, social and educational organisations, said, “Kashmir being a Muslim majority place such directives show utter disregard for the tenants of Islam which deeply hurts the sentiments of Muslims in J&K”. It asserted that open sale of beer and other alcoholic beverages “will further promote addiction which is a major issue in Kashmir especially among our youth, something that the authorities also claim to be concerned about…it will also encourage immoral behaviour.”
The MMU asked that while consumption of alcohol is banned in many states of India why is it being encouraged in J&K.
