Srinagar, March 31 A religious group here on Tuesday criticized National Conference MLA Hasnain Masoodi for defending the sale of liquor in Jammu and Kashmir for revenue purposes.
"Such remarks are deeply unfortunate, given the clear Islamic prohibitions on intoxicants, and they are fundamentally at odds with the values and beliefs of Islam," a spokesman for the Muttehida Majlis Ulema (MMU) said in a statement here.
"It also ignores the serious social consequences that liquor consumption has on families and society, including domestic distress, financial hardship, and moral degradation," he said.
Masoodi, speaking to a newspaper portal in Jammu on Monday, said a ban on liquor would affect the Union Territory's finances, hindering development.
He also said that a ban on liquor would lead to the sale of spurious liquor, putting lives at risk.
Masoodi also cited the examples of Bihar and Gujarat in this regard.
"There is a large section of society that believes that liquor consumption undermines the moral fabric and leads to problems, especially for women. However, we must also remember that the sale of liquor generated revenue for the government, which is needed for development," he said.
The spokesman said that such justification coming from a leader or a political party that claims to uphold the ethos, culture, and identity of Kashmir is both disappointing and disturbing.
"The MMU emphasizes that economic considerations cannot be placed above moral, social, and human well-being, and that justifying liquor on revenue grounds reflects a troubling approach to governance," he added.
The spokesman said that liquor is a well-known menace that steadily erodes the moral and social fabric of society.
MMU is a coalition of approximately 30 Islamic religious and educational organizations in Jammu and Kashmir, led by Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr. Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq.
The group asked the ruling party to come clean on the matter and take concrete steps towards a complete ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir, with strict punishment for those involved in its smuggling.