NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi criticised J&K CM Omar Abdullah’s stance on liquor shops, calling his remarks ‘arrogant’. Abdullah defended the policy, stating it respects individual choice for those whose religion permits alcohol consumption.
National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi criticised Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of deviating from the party’s stand on liquor shops and calling the latter’s remarks “arrogant and haughty, which completely lacked logic.”
Mehdi Slams CM’s ‘Arrogant’ Reply
Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi slammed Omar Abdullah for not upholding his promise and said that the CM is speaking the language “associated with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)”.
“Regarding the issue of alcohol, we at the National Conference had explicitly stated during our election campaign that we would shut down the wine shops that had been opened… Yesterday, he (J&K CM Omar Abdullah) was questioned regarding this very matter. Unfortunately, he gave a highly arrogant and haughty reply, one that completely lacked logic,” he said.
“Instead of acknowledging and upholding the promises we had made to the people, he chose to scold the very people who questioned him. He labelled the people as ‘drunkards’…This is the kind of language typically associated with the BJP… he himself is affixing these tags upon Kashmiris,” he added.
Omar Abdullah Defends Administration’s Policy
National Conference MP attack on his party’s second in command came after Omar Abdullah defended the administration’s policy on liquor shops, saying the government was not encouraging alcohol consumption but allowing individuals whose religious beliefs permit it to exercise their choice.
“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.
He added that his government had adopted measures to prevent alcohol from influencing the younger generation.
“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.
The Chief Minister also accused political opponents of attempting to use the issue to divert attention from their own failures. (ANI)
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