The home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gujarat, is a dry state when it comes to consumption and sale of liquor. Liquor was banned in Gujarat when Modi was its chief minister. So is the Hindu majority Bihar, where Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, after being re-elected for the third consecutive time, imposed a blanket ban on the sale of liquor in the state.
But will J&K’s first woman Chief Minister follow the suit of Modi and Kumar and impose ban on the sale of liquor in this Muslim majority state. There are already voices in the state demanding ban on the sale of liquor.
However, as of now there seems no such intent in the ruling class. And it was quite clear when the ruling dispensation said the consumption of liquor has by 5.4 percent. Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu during the budget session made it clear that no ban can be imposed on liquor.
Many believe that banning liquor is not only a religious matter, but it is something which destroys the individuality of a person.
Former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief, A S Dulat has also said that drugs and liquor are a main problem in Kashmir.
Senior legislator Hakim Yasin who had submitted a bill in the state assembly in 2015, seeking a ban on sale of liquor said this land is called ‘Pir Waer’ (abode of saints). “Anything that is prohibited by Islam and other religions shouldn’t be allowed here. Our government should take a cue from Bihar CM’s courage,” he said.
“The state government has a constitutional obligation to ban the consumption of alcohol as it offends the sentiments of the majority here,” says Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan, president of Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK).
Former bureaucrat and civil society senior member, Farooq Renzu Shah said when a state like Bihar can ban the liquor then what stops J&K which only generates a revenue of Rs 9 crores.
Senior Hurriyat leader Masroor Abbas Ansari says that demanding ban on liquor should be made a national cause by the people of Kashmir. He said that the demand should not be related to their religion rather it should be our national cause.
Co-chairman of Kashmir Economic Alliance Farooq Ahmad Dar says ban on liquor is a long pending demand of Kashmir Inc. “We want this booze business should be banned. but despite change of guard in governance, there is no process being initiated by the respective governments to ban this social evil which is main cause of various ills in our society,” he said.
(PTK)