SRINAGAR, MAY 11: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Monday criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his remarks on the demand for an alcohol ban in Jammu and Kashmir, saying his stance lacked logic.
In a post on social media platform X, Iltija Mufti questioned the Chief Minister’s argument that liquor shops cater to communities whose religions do not prohibit alcohol consumption. She asked how states like Gujarat and Bihar, which have Hindu-majority populations, were able to implement alcohol bans successfully.
She further said it was unfortunate and insensitive for the Chief Minister to dismiss the religious sentiments of the majority and raised concerns over what she termed as inconsistency in his remarks on secularism and public policy.
Her reaction came after Omar Abdullah, while interacting with reporters in Ganderbal on Sunday, said that the government was not forcing anyone to consume alcohol. He had stated that people visit liquor shops on their own will and that no one is being compelled or advertised to consume alcohol.
The Chief Minister’s remarks have triggered a political debate in the Union Territory, with differing views emerging over the issue of alcohol regulation and religious sensitivities.
