Srinagar, July 04 (KNO): Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said that liquor promotion in Kashmir is an assault on faith, culture and future while calling for government intervention against opening of the liquor shop in the Batmaloo area of Srinagar. He also threatened to protest if government failed to intervene.
According to statement, issued to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Mirwaiz while addressing Friday congregation at Jama Masjid said opening liquor shop in Batamaloo is very disturbing and 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. We are already 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," the statement reads.
It added that the authorities know fully well that J&K being a Muslim majority state, consumption of liquor is against the tenets of Islam and against cultural and societal values, 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 questioned.
He urged the Omar Abdullah-led government to intervene and ensure that this action is stopped. "It is their duty to ensure that such proposals are nipped in the bud itself. If they fail, then the ulemas, civil society and people in general will have no option but to protest and come out against this assault," he added—(KNO)