Srinagar, May 15 (JKNS): Several leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Kashmir Unit were detained by police on Friday after authorities foiled their protest march towards the residence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Gupkar in Srinagar against liquor sales in the Kashmir Valley.
According to details available with news agency JKNS, BJP leaders and workers assembled at Ram Munshibagh Sonwar and attempted to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence while raising slogans demanding a complete ban on the sale and purchase of liquor in Kashmir.
During the protest, police intercepted the demonstrators and detained several BJP leaders, including Altaf Thakur, Sahil Bhat and Sajid Yousuf Shah, Arif Raja, Anwar Khan along with multiple party workers to prevent them from proceeding towards Gupkar.
Later the leaders were released, an official said.
The BJP said the protest was aimed at highlighting public sentiment against the operation of wine shops in the Valley and accused the ruling National Conference of defending and promoting liquor sales in the region.
The protest comes days after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that his government was not planning to expand liquor outlets in Jammu and Kashmir, but maintained that imposing a complete ban on alcohol was not practically possible at present.
He had said liquor was already being consumed in the region and questioned whether people preferred regulated sale through legal channels or pushing the trade underground through illegal means. (JKNS)
