MMU hits out at NC MLA for defending liquor sale

Srinagar, Mar 31: A religious conglomerate here on Tuesday hit out at ruling National Conference MLA Hasnain Masoodi for defending liquor sale in Jammu and Kashmir for revenue benefits.

“Such remarks are deeply unfortunate when there are clear Islamic prohibitions on intoxicants, and it is fundamentally at odds with the values and beliefs of Islam,” a spokesman of the Muttehida Majlis Ulema (MMU) said in a statement here.

“It also ignores the grave social consequences that liquor consumption has in general on families and society, including domestic distress, financial hardship, and moral degradation,” he said.

Masoodi, speaking to a newspaper portal in Jammu on Monday, said a ban on liquor will affect the Union Territory’s finances, hampering the development.

He also said a ban on liquor will give rise to the sale of spurious liquor, which puts lives at risk.

Masoodi also quoted the example of Bihar and Gujarat in this regard.

“There is a large section of society which believes that liquor consumption hits at the root of the moral fabric and leads to problems, especially for women. However, we also have to keep in mind that the sale of liquor generated revenue for the government, which is needed for development,” he said.

The spokesman said that such a justification coming from a leader or a political party that claims to uphold the ethos, culture, and identity of Kashmir is both disappointing and disturbing.

“The MMU stresses that economic considerations cannot be placed above moral, social, and human well-being, and that justifying liquor on revenue grounds reflects a troubling approach to governance,” he added.

The spokesperson said liquor was a well-known menace that steadily erodes the moral and social fabric of society.

MMU is a coalition of roughly 30 Islamic religious and educational organisations in Jammu and Kashmir, led by Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq.

The conglomerate asked the ruling party to come clean on the matter and take concrete steps towards a complete ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir, with strict punishment for those involved in its smuggling. (PTI)