Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 14: Jammu and Kashmir unit of Shiv Sena (UBT) staged a strong protest today demanding a complete ban on the sale of liquor in the Union Territory.
The demonstration, led by State party chief Manish Sahni, called for the prohibition bill to be introduced and passed in the upcoming Assembly session starting on March 3. The Party also urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to give his approval for the ban.
Holding placards with slogans such as “Liquor sale should be banned on the holy land of J&K” and “City of Temples turned into a city of alcohol,” the protesters voiced their concerns over the growing number of liquor outlets in J&K.
Sahni emphasized that J&K is a land of sages and prophets, home to revered religious sites such as Shri Mata Vaishno Devi’s Darbar, Shri Amarnath Dham, Hazratbal Dargah, Gurdwara Kalgidhar Sahib and Tapo Asthan. He argued that the presence of liquor shops near religious places, schools, and colleges was hurting religious sentiments and contributing to rising addiction levels.
Highlighting the alarming increase in substance abuse, Sahni pointed out that the number of people seeking help at de-addiction centers has risen a hundredfold in the past five years. He also alleged that liquor sales near educational and religious institutions were fueling the drug menace among the youth, with illegal overpricing of alcohol being a rampant issue.
The protestors demanded that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should take immediate steps to introduce the prohibition bill and ensure its passage in the Assembly. Several prominent party members, including general secretary Vikas Bakshi, Meenakshi Chhibber, Raj Singh, Ashu, Ashok Kumar, Saloni Sharma, Kajal, Yashpal and Vishal, were present during the demonstration.
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