Congress supports alcohol ban in Jammu and Kashmir as PDP, NC MLAs push for legislation

Srinagar, Jan 12: The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) has expressed strong support for bills aimed at banning alcohol in the Union Territory.

Senior vice president of the JKPCC, G.N. Monga, told Greater Kashmir that the Congress party would back the bills proposed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC) MLAs.

“In light of Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural and religious landscape, known for its deep-rooted Sufi traditions, and the rising drug addiction crisis, there is the need for strict legislation to address the growing concerns related to alcohol consumption,” Monga said. He said that the party would support the bill.

The bill, proposed by Fayaz Ahmad Mir, PDP MLA from Kupwara, seeks a complete ban on the advertisement, sale, purchase, consumption, and manufacture of alcoholic beverages in Jammu and Kashmir. Mir expressed concern that the increasing alcohol consumption is becoming a serious threat to society, particularly its impact on the youth, and urged lawmakers to take immediate action to curb the trend. The bill proposes stringent penalties, including imprisonment and hefty fines, for anyone found violating the ban.

In a similar move, National Conference MLA Ahsan Pardesi has also submitted a private member’s bill seeking a ban on alcohol in Kashmir and other Muslim-majority regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Pardesi highlighted that the consumption of alcohol contradicts the region’s sufi-reshi traditions and undermines its cultural and religious values.