Srinagar: Islamic scholar Aga Syed Muhammad Hadi has opposed the proposal of the administration to open 51 wine shops across Jammu and Kashmir in which 6 new wine shops are to be open in the Kashmir Valley.
Terming it a big attack on the religious culture of Kashmir, Hadi said that the consumption of alcohol has destroyed people in the past and if the administration continues with its decision, it will leave no stone unturned to destroy the generations.
“Already there are instances where people sold their houses and other belongings to satisfy their consumption needs. As it has become a business now, no one in Kashmir bothers to talk about its impacts it will have on our society, religion and culture,” he said.
“It is not a target on one particular person or community, it targets our religion, our homes and the entire populace of the Valley,” he said.
Hadi said no one bothers to talk about how illegal it is to be in our religion and culture. “Our religious scholars are busy giving lecturers on Jannat and Jahnam and people are sacred of NIA raids.
Now, as wine shops are opening, the next move will be to open Casinos and dance clubs in the Valley,” the Islamic scholar said.
Earlier on February 22, the JK administration said that fresh 51 wine shops will be opened in the union territory including 6 in Kashmir.
In June 2020, Jammu and Kashmir administration said that it has identified 183 places in the Union Territory that includes sixty-seven in the Valley to open the liquor shops.
The documents available includes an order issued from the office of Excise commissioner Jammu and Kashmir submitted to the Financial Commissioner, Finance department, Civil Secretariat.
The order reads: “It is submitted that this office has divided the JK UT area into 27. As per the survey conducted and in exercise of the powers under rule 28 of J&K Liquor and License rules, 1984 and section 4 (B) of the excise Act, a total list of 183 locations including 116 in Jammu and 67 in the zones of Kashmir is enclosed.”
The order further reads that it is request that the necessary approval may kindly be granted enabling to proceed further strictly under the rules by way of any transparent method, either e-auctioning zone wise or location wise as the administration deems fit as a matter of policy. The order was duly signed by Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Excise commissioner JK.
As per the documents, the survey conducted by the Excise department had identified spots/places in south Kashmir’s all four districts—Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag followed by Srinagar, Baramulla, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Budgam.
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