Calls for Upholding Kashmir’s Cultural and Religious Ethos
National Conference (NC) MLA, Ahsan Pardesi has submitted a private member bill in the Assembly seeking a ban on alcohol in Kashmir and other Muslim-majority areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Pardesi according to the news agency JKNS, said the bill aims to preserve the region’s cultural and religious values, noting that alcohol consumption contradicts Kashmir’s deep-rooted Sufi-Reshi traditions.
“The unchecked sale of alcohol disregards our religious and social ethos. Our heritage has always stood against intoxicants, and this bill is a step toward upholding those values,” he said.
He further said alcohol contributes to crime, moral decline, and addiction, particularly among the youth. “At a time when we are battling a drug crisis, easy availability of alcohol will only worsen the situation,” he said.
Notably, the bill, comprising eight pages, is expected to be discussed in the upcoming Assembly session. Ahsan also highlighted residents of Lal Chowk have repeatedly raised concerns over the high concentration of liquor shops in their area compared to the rest of Kashmir.—(JKNS)
