A viral video showing tourists consuming alcohol during a shikara ride has led to the backlash from political and religious leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. The video shows a group of people drinking alcohol during a boat ride in Srinagar’s Dal lake.
The chief spokesperson of the national conference, Tanvir Sadiq, has posted the video on his X, formerly Twitter, account. He wrote, “Strongly condemn the vulgar acts of tourists drinking alcohol in a shikara in Dal lake. Under the garb of ‘Kashmir badal raha hai’, the government must remember that such behaviour is not acceptable here. A modern society doesn’t dance vulgarly in the streets or drink in public. These acts must end under the guise of tourism.”
Strongly condemn the vulgar acts of tourists drinking alcohol on a Shikara in Dal Lake.
— Tanvir Sadiq (@tanvirsadiq) June 8, 2024
Under the garb of "Kashmir Badal Raha Hai," the government must remember that such behavior is not acceptable here. A modern society doesn’t dance vulgarly in the streets or drink in public.… pic.twitter.com/mpYQDAnh6u
— Tanvir Sadiq (@tanvirsadiq) Sadiq further said that the Jammu and Kashmir administration must strictly enforce laws banning public drinking. “Our hospitable people respect tourists but un-Islamic and unethical actions shall not be acceptable,” he added.
In addition to this, Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party also demanded action against those involved in the case. Chief spokesperson of Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party, Salman Nizami, through his social media said, “Consuming alcohol openly in a shikara, in the land of sufism, Kashmir, is unacceptable. Such behaviour spoils our culture and society. I have forwarded the clip to the concerned SDPO (sub-divisional police officer) Nehru Park. Strict action must be taken against these tourists.”
Furthermore, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq in a statement said that while public consumption of alcohol is prohibited under the law, the matter of worry is why and how it was allowed to the people in shikara. “The people of Kashmir are hospitable and respect tourists visiting the valley as guests. However, such un-Islamic and unethical practices will not be tolerated in the Muslim-majority valley that is the land of saints and sufis. It also appealed to hoteliers and houseboat and shikara owners to keep an eye on such acts, and urged tourists to “respect the moral and religious ethos of Kashmir,” Farooq said. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is the leader of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulama (United Council of Scholars), which includes heads of all religious sects and educational institutions in the Valley.