With temperatures dipping in Kashmir, there has been an increase in tourism in the state. People have been visiting the valley to witness the beauty of it and also enjoy the snowfall. However, in the midst of it, a video has gone viral on the internet that featured tourists drinking alcohol in public areas of the valley. This has sparked outrage among locals as they condemned the act.
Kashmiri local on torurists and alcohol
A Kashmiri local, Waqar H Bhatti, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share his views about the incident. The caption of the video reads, "I want to tell the tourists who come from outside that Kashmir is not Delhi or UP or Mumbai, you will not be allowed to drink alcohol openly here." The video which has gotten more than 167.4K views has two sections, one of which shows the tourists drinking alcohol and dancing on the roads and the other part which shows the man speaking.
In the video, Bhatti says, "Kashmir is not Uttar Pradesh (UP) or Bihar. Just look at this tourist, how he is dancing along with a bottle of alcohol. It's okay to dance, but please don't consume alcohol openly." He has also criticised the local bystanders who were recording videos. "Don’t they realise what land this is? This soil has witnessed the sacrifice of countless young lives. Alcohol has no place here, and such practices won’t be tolerated. I strongly believe that alcohol should be completely banned in Jammu and Kashmir," Bhatti added.
Social media users react
Another user, Shazia Rah said, "Public drinking in Kashmir is both illegal and a violation of our cultural values. It undermines societal harmony and misguides the youth. Strict enforcement and penalties are essential to uphold the law and preserve the dignity of our region." She further added, "Despite Section 50-A of the J&K Excise Act 1958, prohibiting alcohol consumption in public spaces or places of worship, authorities have failed to enforce strict action, disappointing."
Several users took to the comments section of Bhatti post to express their views. One of the users said, "I agree with you partially, tourists (anywhere) must respect the sentiment of people. Alcoholism at public place must be punishable. Due to this vulgar dance people with family gets embarrassed." Another user wrote, "Agree. These are bad manners and spoiling the serene environment."
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