Several leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were detained by police in Srinagar on Friday. The detentions aimed to stop their protest march to the residence of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, regarding the sale of liquor in the Valley.
The BJP members gathered in Srinagar’s Ram Munshi Bagh area and initiated a protest march towards Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s high-security residence on Gupkar Road. They voiced opposition to liquor sales and demanded a complete ban on its distribution in the Valley.
J&K Police intervened to disperse the protesters and detained multiple BJP leaders, including Altaf Thakur, Sahil Bhat, and Sajid Yousuf Shah, along with numerous party workers. This action was taken to prevent them from advancing towards Gupkar Road.
The BJP stated that the protest aimed to showcase public sentiment against the operation of wine shops in the Valley. They accused the ruling National Conference (NC) of supporting and encouraging liquor sales in the region.
Former J&K Chief Minister and NC President, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, also entered the debate on liquor sales. He mentioned that the NC government was willing to prohibit sales if the revenue generated through this activity in the Union Territory was compensated by the Centre.
