Every wine shop in Valley will be shut one day: Former Srinagar Mayor

Former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu, who is fighting the Assembly elections as an Independent candidate from Srinagar’s Zadibal segment, said on Saturday that every single wine shop in Kashmir would be shut one day and the sale of alcohol will be prohibited.

Mattu, shared a picture on X, which he said was captured from the campaign trail. “Kashmir must be a unique example in the world where the administration itself has facilitated the erection of a makeshift wine and beer shop in the middle of one of our largest taxi stands,” he said.

He added that this was an assault on the identity, culture and religion of the people, under the guise of increasing revenue.

“To promote alcohol in Kashmir, while Gujarat and Bihar are dry states, both of which are ruled by the BJP, is an unambiguous reflection of the BJP’s intentions to destroy Kashmir and our youth,” he stated.

Mattu also alleged that the “liquor license excise scam is perhaps the biggest financial scam in Kashmir’s contemporary history.”

He claimed, “The administration over-enthusiastically facilitated the erosion of our ethos for kickbacks running into crores and crores of rupees.” he claimed.

“We will devote our lives to this sacred cause, if required,” he asserted.