BJP's ‘lock down’ warning to Omar Abdullah in J&K: ‘No liquor stores to open on this land’

POlitical tensions escalated in Jammu and cashmere on fri after the BJP acutely criticised the subject group discussion (NC) government and warned of shutting down liquor outlets if the administration continued to put “revenue over morality.”The protest, led by BJP workers and leaders in Srinagar, turned into a sharp political confrontation between the opposition party and the ruling National Conference (NC), with the BJP threatening direct action if the government does not reconsider its position on liquor outlets, news agency ANI reported.BJP stages protest in SrinagarThe BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit organised a protest march in Srinagar demanding a complete ban on the sale and purchase of liquor in the Kashmir division. Party workers assembled at Ram Munshibagh in the Sonwar area and attempted to march towards the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Gupkar.Also read | Liquor ban question engulfs J&K politics as CM Omar Abdullah cites free will, revenueDuring the protest, BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur strongly criticised the government, alleging that the administration was encouraging the sale of intoxicants in the Valley despite its religious and cultural sensitivities.Addressing reporters, Thakur said the issue was not merely political but linked to the identity and traditions of Kashmir.“BJP Kashmir is against all kinds of intoxicants. National Conference wants to drown the local youth in liquor. They are supporting liquor. This is the land of sages. We will not allow liquor stores to open on this land. If the Omar Govt does not take note of it, we will continue our protest and the BJP will lock down the liquor stores. This is a warning for the party which is supporting liquor for revenue,” said Thakur.The BJP leader’s remarks escalated the confrontation further, with the party openly warning that it would physically shut down liquor shops if the administration failed to act.Why the controversy eruptedThe controversy comes days after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah defended the administration’s approach towards liquor shops in Jammu and Kashmir, stating that the government was not promoting alcohol consumption but allowing legal access to those whose religious beliefs permit it.Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Abdullah said no previous government in Jammu and Kashmir had imposed a complete ban on liquor outlets.“These (wine) shops are intended specifically for those individuals whose religious beliefs permit them to consume alcohol. No government in Jammu and Kashmir, to date, has ever imposed a complete ban on these establishments. This does not imply that we wish to encourage increased consumption; it simply means that those whose religious tenets permit the use or consumption of alcohol are free to do so,” he said.The chief minister also said the administration had taken precautions to ensure that liquor consumption does not influence younger people in the region.“Our own religion does not grant us such permission, nor do we desire to see people gravitating toward this path. Consequently, our administration has implemented two or three key measures. First, we have not opened any new liquor shops. Second, we have made every concerted effort to ensure that no such shop is situated in a location where it might tempt our youth to stray down the wrong path,” he said.Political flashpoint in KashmirThe issue has now emerged as a fresh political flashpoint in Jammu and Kashmir, with the BJP attempting to corner the National Conference government over liquor sales and cultural sensitivities in the Valley.While the Omar Abdullah government has maintained that it is not expanding liquor access and is only continuing an existing policy framework, the BJP has sharpened its campaign by framing the matter as a question of protecting local values and youth from intoxicants.(With ANI inputs)