Mirwaiz warns of protests against move to open liquor shop in Srinagar's Batamaloo area

Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday said the Jammu and Kashmir government should not allow the opening of a liquor shop in the city's Batamaloo area, threatening of protests against the move.

Addressing the Friday congregation at the Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of the city, Mirwaiz said that there was a ''disturbing news'' of liquor promotion in the valley.

''A notice by the Batamaloo traders and business community for public information states that they are closing down shops for three days to protest the opening of a liquor shop in the area, asking the authorities to intervene and take immediate action,'' he added.

The Hurriyat Conference chairman said ''this is very disturbing and totally unacceptable to the people of Kashmir''.

''It is an assault on our religious, cultural and societal ethos, and a complete disregard for it, a deliberate attempt to ruin our people and our future generations. Already we are grappling with the menace of drug addiction and now the authorities are promoting liquor to further ruin people and our societal and cultural fabric,'' said Mirwaiz.

''The authorities know fully well that J-K, being a Muslim majority state, consumption of liquor is against the tenets of Islam and against our cultural and societal values, yet it is being promoted,'' he added.

Escalating his attack on the government, the Hurriyat Conference chairman said, ''Why don't they promote it in Gujarat, which is a declared dry state. Why J&K? Hasn't tourism flourished here for decades without liquor, as this is the common ridiculous argument made?'' Mirwaiz asked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to immediately intervene and ensure that this action is stopped.

''It is their duty to ensure that such proposals are nipped in the bud itself. If they fail, then the ulemas, civil society and people in general will have no option but to protest and come out against this assault,'' he said.

The traders in Batamaloo have announced that all shops and commercial establishments would remain closed in the area for three days from Friday ''as a mark of peaceful protest against the opening of a wine shop in our locality''.

The traders appealed to the authorities to intervene and take immediate action against the opening of the liquor shop.

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