Srinagar, May 12 (IANS) Chief Kashmir cleric and senior religious leader, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, said on Tuesday that action against narcotics will not succeed as long as sale of liquor continues unchecked in the Union Territory.

Speaking to media on the sidelines of the inauguration of a super market here, Mirwaiz Umar reiterated his demand on alcohol ban and cautioned authorities against alleged harassment of families and region-biased measures during anti-drug operations.

He reiterated the concern that he had expressed during his Friday address at Jama Masjid regarding the growing menace of drug addiction and the need for a ban on alcohol.

He said that both drugs and alcohol are deeply harmful to society and stressed that the Jammu and Kashmir government cannot justify acting against one while staying quiet on another.

He added that although Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-majority region where alcohol consumption is socially and religiously discouraged, several states in India with non-Muslim majorities have also imposed restrictions or bans on alcohol because of its damaging impact on society.

The first step by the new government in Tamil Nadu was to close down 700 liquor shops.

Reiterating his demand for a complete ban on alcohol, Mirwaiz Umar said that the ongoing campaign against drug networks will not yield the desired results if action is not also taken against liquor, which is also destroying families.

Besides, the chief Kashmir cleric stressed that the drug campaign should not be region biased and cause harassment to the family members by demolition of houses for the actions of one individual.

During the ongoing 100-day long ‘Nasha Mukt Jammu and Kashmir Abhiyaan’, police has been carrying out aggressive operations against drug smugglers, drug peddlers and those dealing in drug sale.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha while launching the anti-drug campaign had said that additional punitive action against drug smugglers will include cancellation of passports, Aadhaar cards, driving licences, and attachment of property created out of drug smuggling.

These punitive actions are illegal to the prescribed punishment under the anti-drug smuggling laws.

–IANS

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