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Srinagar: Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar has condemned the opening of a liquor shop in Batmaloo area of Srinagar, Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, calling it a \u201cdeliberate attempt to damage future generations of Kashmir.<\/p>\n
According to Kashmir Media Service, , while delivering Friday sermon at Srinagar\u2019s Jamia Masjid,Mirwaiz Umar Farooq termed the act a \u201cdirect assault on Kashmir\u2019s religious, cultural, and social ethos\u201d.<\/p>\n
Referring to a public notice issued by the Batmaloo traders and business community, Mirwaiz said local shopkeepers had announced a three-day shutdown in protest and called for intervention of the authorities to immediately halt the proposed move.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a deeply disturbing development,\u201d Mirwaiz said during his sermon. \u201cIt is completely unacceptable to the people of Kashmir. At a time when we are already grappling with the menace of drug addiction, the promotion of liquor by the authorities is nothing short of societal sabotage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mirwaiz criticised the occupation regime\u2019s disregard for the sentiments of the Muslim-majority population of Jammu and Kashmir. \u201cThe consumption of alcohol is against the tenets of Islam and contrary to our values. Yet, instead of protecting our social fabric, the authorities are encouraging its availability,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Calling on the Omar Abdullah-led government to take \u201curgent and decisive action,\u201d Mirwaiz said the administration must ensure the plan is scrapped immediately. \u201cSuch proposals should be nipped in the bud. If the government fails to act, the ulema, civil society and public at large will have no choice but to register their protest,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n
Mirwaiz also questioned the rationale offered in favour of liquor outlets, especially the oft-repeated argument linking alcohol availability with tourism. \u201cHasn\u2019t tourism thrived in Kashmir for decades without liquor? Why not open liquor shops in Gujarat, a dry state?\u201d he asked, rhetorically highlighting the apparent double standards.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Srinagar: Senior All Parties Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar has condemned the opening of a liquor shop in Batmaloo area of Srinagar, Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, calling it a \u201cdeliberate attempt to damage future generations of Kashmir. According to Kashmir Media Service, , while delivering Friday sermon at Srinagar\u2019s Jamia Masjid,Mirwaiz Umar Farooq …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":178370,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-178369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aphc"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t