An anti-liquor undercurrent in Kashmir has been exploited by the moral police to their advantage.
When Liquor baron Vijay Mallya proposed to restart hop cultivation in Kashmir, J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah lost no time in declining the proposal citing religious sentiments of people.
Omar’s response explained the anti-liquor undercurrent in Kashmir which has been exploited by the moral police to their advantage. To complicate issues, a deadly mix of Muslim clergy and new band of moral vigilantes have embarked on a dangerous mission to condemn liquor in Kashmir, giving sleepless nights to the government and tour operators.
A licensed liquor shop was recently forced shut in Anantnag after people complained that it opened near educational institutions. Fearing trouble, the J&K government asked the owner to relocate.
In fact, history is repeating itself after 20 years of turmoil and militants’ ban of liquor with a new breed of moral cops led by Forum against Social Evils (FASE) and Muthada Majlis Ulma, an apex body of Muslim imams, are making no bones about their renewed fight against liquor sale and consumption. “We will not tolerate growth of liquor shops”, said a spokesman of Muthada Majlis Ulma.
What has complicated things is the demand by FASE for declaring J&K a dry state. “ We are a Muslim majority state and Liquor is prohibited under Islam”, said Parvez Maqbool Shah, general secretary of FASE.
Official figures reveal there are 224 liquor wine shops owned by private parties in the state and liquor business is a major sources of income for the J&K government which earned them a revenue of Rs 212.08 crore in 2006-07.
Whatever the reasons for banning liquor sales and consumption, it is the tourism sector is at the receiving end.
Tourism industry is reacting guardedly in Kashmir. “For a tourist skipping this habit for few days while enjoying the beauty of Kashmir is worthwhile”, said GM Dag, president of J&K Tourism alliance, an apex body of people associate with tourism sector.
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