NO DECISION ON LIQUOR OUTLETS, SAYS J&K GOVT

The Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday flashed messages on social media in an attempt to douse the anger in public ignited by the proposed move of the Excise Department to open 183 new liquor outlets across the Union Territory.

The government through its information department assured the people that the UT’s finance department “has not taken any policy decision regarding issuance of fresh liquor licenses in unserved areas”.

The message added, “No list of unserved areas has either been considered or approved. No decision will be taken without participation of stakeholders and due process.”

Earlier, a letter written by J&K’s excise commissioner, Rajesh Kumar Shavan, to the finance commissioner (finance department) seeking his approval to issuance of licenses for setting up liquor outlets at 116 and 67 locations in Jammu and Kashmir region, respectively was leaked, triggering furore particularly in predominantly Muslim Valley.

Many people took to social media platforms to condemn the proposed move asserting that opening new liquor outlets in such large numbers would only cause nuisance in the Kashmiri society.

Some people pointed out that the majority of the Valley’s population is of Muslims and that Islam strictly prohibits consumption of liquor.

They also said that the Valley is also known as ‘Peere Waer’ (the garden of saints and sages) where the government’s move to allow liquor sale on such a widespread scale would be an insult to them.

Several political, social and religious groups including Mutahida Majlis-eUlema, an amalgam of religions and socio-religious organisations headed by chief Muslim cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq resented the move and vowed not to allow opening of any new liquor outlets.