Calls for respect of religious, moral ethos by tourists, businesses

SRINAGAR: The Muttahida Majlise-e-Ulama (MMU), comprising heads of religious sects and educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, led by Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq, has expressed serious concern over a viral video circulating on social media.
The video, which was also sent to MMU, shows a group of outsiders openly consuming alcohol on a shikara in Dal Lake, the Majlis said in a statement, adding that it strongly condemns this act and questions how such behavior was allowed in Kashmir.
Public consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited under the law, raising concerns about the enforcement of these regulations, it said.
The MMU stated, “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, which is the land of saints and Sufis. Consumption of alcohol, strictly prohibited in Islam due to its disastrous effects on society, cannot be allowed to go unchecked.”
The MMU appealed to hotel owners, houseboat owners, and shikara operators to monitor and prevent such activities, urging them to avoid indulging in un-Islamic and immoral practices for profit. The council also appealed to tourists to respect the moral and religious ethos of Kashmir.
In addition, the MMU reiterated its demand for the immediate arrest and appropriate punishment of the student involved in blasphemy against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at GMC Srinagar, despite the police having already registered an FIR.

KR Desk