A political war of words has broken out in Jammu and Kashmir over the issue of liquor sales in the union territory, with Prime Minister Omar Abdullah and most members of the National Conference defending the sale, while the opposition and one of his party’s MPs opposed it.
The row erupted over the Chief Minister’s response to a journalist’s question on Sunday about the liquor policy 2026 in the context of the UT government’s 100-day anti-drug campaign. Omar Abdullah said that people consume alcohol of their own free will, and the government does not force anyone to visit liquor stores.
This is where the current controversy began, although the conversation about addiction and consumption of alcoholic beverages in Jammu and Kashmir has been going on for a long time.
“These shops are meant for people whose religion allows them to consume alcohol. No government has yet banned these shops in Jammu and Kashmir,” Omar said.
His statement drew criticism from the People’s Democratic Party as well as his party’s MP from Srinagar.
PDP leader Elijah Mufti accused the government of backing down on every issue and demanded a ban on alcohol in UT.
The state of Jammu and Kashmir has never imposed a complete legal ban on the sale or consumption of alcohol, with successive governments opting for regulation rather than blanket prohibition.
“His statement on alcohol is absolutely illogical. He said ‘we don’t ask anyone to consume alcohol’. Please tell me, won’t drug peddlers use your logic when ‘Nasha Mukt Abhiyan’ is released in Jammu and Kashmir?” she said.
The Mufti said that there is no religion that promotes drugs or alcohol, whether Islam, Sikhism or Hinduism.
“In dry states like Gujarat and Bihar, where the majority are Hindus, if governments there can ban alcohol, why can’t they ban it here? It is unfortunate that you do not respect the culture and sensibilities of the Muslim majority in Jammu and Kashmir even though you are the chief minister of a Muslim-majority region,” she said.
NCP leader Agha Ruhollah Mehdi, who is also a Srinagar member of parliament and a vocal critic of the prime minister, said he wanted the shops closed.
“Among thousands of people, some young people indulge in consuming alcohol by looking at others. We want to close this road too. There should be no shop whether anyone wants to consume alcohol or not,” he said at a public event.
The broader conversation about drug addiction has been ongoing in Jammu and Kashmir, especially among young people studying in Punjab, Chandigarh and other neighboring states. This was also noted by Utah Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who launched a 100-day drug-free campaign on April 11.
PDP leader and former Prime Minister Mehbooba Mufti has lauded the campaign.
Omar Abdullah defends the statement and then admits the “mistake”
Omar Abdullah defended his statements and said that no government has banned shops selling alcoholic beverages in the region yet. He said his government does not promote alcohol but only allows it to those whose ideology does not prevent them from consuming it.
“The opposition is using my statement to hide their mistakes. If what I said was wrong, then what did they do in their government? Because what I said in Ganderbal, the same thing was said on record by the then PDP Finance Minister in the Assembly,” he said.
Omar said his government has taken some steps to reduce alcohol consumption.
“Firstly, we did not open any new shops, and secondly, we tried not to allow any shop anywhere where our youth would take the wrong path,” he said.
The prime minister’s father, Farooq Abdullah, himself a former prime minister, echoed his views.
Farooq Abdullah said: “I don’t drink alcohol. Those who drink alcohol will continue to drink. If it is not available here, they will bring it from outside. What can be done about it? And ask those who are raising this issue. After Morarji Desai became Prime Minister, he was strongly against alcohol. He told my father (Sheikh Abdullah) to impose the ban. My father said he had no objection, but if the government compensates for the revenue earned from alcohol, the ban can be implemented. Nothing happened after that.” Tuesday.
While the statement drew criticism, given Abdullah’s own stance on opening liquor shops before the elections, the Prime Minister admitted on Tuesday that his comments on Sunday were a “mistake”.
Abdullah said, “It is my fault. I continue to talk to you (the media) on the side of the road. You are asking a question that needs a detailed answer, but due to lack of time, I answer in this way that our opponents are distorting.”
Abdullah added, “Liquor shops are for those whose religion allows the consumption of alcohol. In Jammu and Kashmir, no government has banned liquor shops. Let those people consume liquor whose religion allows them to do so. Our religion forbids alcohol, and we do not want anyone to drink liquor.”
