Srinagar, 22 February 2025 — Hours after shopkeepers in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk erected a signboard urging tourists to avoid consuming alcohol in public and respect Kashmiri cultural values, Jammu and Kashmir Police removed it.
The signboard, placed under the banner of a traders’ association near Ghanta Ghar, read: “Tourists are requested not to consume alcohol openly and to respect Kashmir’s cultural values.”
However, J&K Police, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, seized the board, but no official statement was issued explaining the legal basis for the move.
The removal sparked reactions from political figures. Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq mentioned that appealing to visitors to respect local sensitivities should not be deemed unlawful.
National Conference MP Ruallah Mehdi questioned the police’s actions, asking, “Is promoting moral values and decency now a crime in Kashmir?”
The incident comes amid growing concerns over tourists openly consuming alcohol in public spaces, including roads and Shikaras, with several such videos recently going viral on social media.
“The colonial LG administration, in cahoots with security forces, has turned Kashmir into an Orwellian nightmare—where people can't protest, safeguard their identity, or even speak for their culture,” Mehdi said in a post on X.