BJP joins chorus seeking liquor ban in J&K, piles pressure on Omar Abdullah government

Alfaaz – The Words Desk

Srinagar, May 15: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday staged a protest in Srinagar against the sale of liquor in Kashmir, joining a growing chorus demanding a ban on wine shops in Jammu and Kashmir and placing the Omar Abdullah-led government in a politically sensitive position.

The protest march, led by BJP leaders and workers, began from the Ram Munshi Bagh area in Sonwar and proceeded towards Gupkar Road, where the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is located. Police, however, stopped the protesters from moving further.

Raising slogans against the operation of wine shops in the Valley, BJP leaders accused the ruling Jammu and Kashmir National Conference of allowing the expansion of liquor sales despite opposition from various sections of society.

BJP state co-media incharge Sajid Yousuf Shah said the party viewed the issue as one tied to Kashmir’s social and cultural sensitivities. He maintained that promoting liquor sales in the name of tourism was unacceptable and asserted that tourists were drawn to the Valley for its natural beauty, culture and hospitality rather than alcohol.

The BJP’s protest comes amid increasing political debate in Jammu and Kashmir over liquor sales, with several religious bodies, civil society groups and political voices calling for restrictions or a complete ban.