Srinagar: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said on Saturday that banning liquor is fine, but the biggest challenge is to stop drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We were consistently demanding for a ban on liquor in Jammu and Kashmir,” the Deputy Chief Minister Choudhary told media persons in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
“Any kind of drug should also be banned in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
“Ban on liquor is fine but the biggest challenge is the drug menace for Jammu and Kashmir that has to be stopped,” Choudhary said.
He said drugs are consuming our generations and it has now reached the homes.
“We will request Lieutenant Governor as he holds the charge of Police to direct the force further to curtail the drug menace in Jammu and Kashmir,” Choudhary said and stated that “the Director General should also hold public ‘darbars’ to spread awareness to stop the drug menace.”
“Jammu and Kashmir was once a state where there were no signs of drug abuse and today it has become a big disease among the youths,” he said.
In reply to a question, Choudhary said, “The statehood belongs to all of us and it was pledged on the very first day of the government for its restoration and a resolution was passed in the assembly, which has been sent to the Prime Minister and Home Minister.
“Both Prime Minister and Home Minister have assured the statehood would be restored and the special status would also be restored that will ensure that jobs and land will remain with the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
He hoped that the statehood would be restored very soon.
UNI
