True to the saying – Pot calling the kettle black, the MLA of a party that was allegedly involved in the infamous Liquor Scam, has been raising an accusing finger on the decades old Liquor trade in Jammu and Kashmir and wanted total ban of the sale and consumption of liquor in Union Territory. Mehraj Malik, the AAP legislator went further by attributing the liquor trade and its consumption to Hindus. On the footsteps of his Godfather Kejriwal, Mehraj has stirred a needless controversy with his nasty and baseless remarks about Hindus, claiming that they are “addicted” to alcohol and consume it even during festivals and marriages. His statement, made outside the Jammu & Kashmir Legislative Assembly while responding to the debate on liquor prohibition raised by PDP MLA Waheed Para, is nothing more than a desperate attempt to stay in the limelight.
Malik, who hardly contributes meaningfully to legislative discussions, seems more focused on stoking communal sentiments rather than addressing real issues. As a lone MLA of his party, his relevance is nearly equivalent to that of an independent legislator—insignificant. To maintain his presence in political discourse, he resorts to controversies in and outside of the House that cater to a specific audience rather than engaging in constructive policymaking.
If Mehraj Malik is genuinely concerned about liquor prohibition in J&K, he should advocate for it as a comprehensive State Policy rather than singling out a community with derogatory remarks. However, his selective outrage exposes his hypocrisy—why has he never questioned the open sale of cows/beef in Kashmir, despite beef slaughter and consumption strongly prohibited in J&K? If sentiments of one community matter, why ignore the sentiments of another?
Liquor has been sold in Jammu & Kashmir since the era of Sheikh Abdullah, the so-called ‘Baba-e-Quom’ who became the first Prime Minister of the erstwhile state. If liquor is such a menace, why have NC MLAs remained silent for decades while it has been sold openly under successive National Conference and Coalition regimes? Their sudden moral outrage is nothing but political hypocrisy of the highest order. Why was it acceptable under Sheikh Abdullah and his successors but now being portrayed as an evil that must be eradicated? This selective and opportunistic politics must be exposed.
Moreover, Malik should understand that drug abuse poses a far greater threat to society than regulated alcohol trade. Yet, he has never raised concerns about the proper disposal of seized narcotics under the NDPS Act. Why has no legislator, including Malik, ever pressed for a transparent review of how drug-related cases are handled in the Union Territory? No—because it does not serve their divisive political agenda.
Alcohol, when regulated, serves as a significant source of revenue for the government. Its controlled sale ensures economic benefits while maintaining social discipline. The issue is not alcohol itself but its misuse—something that requires awareness rather than outright bans. Malik’s narrative ignores these complexities and instead follows his party chief, Arvind Kejriwal, in making sensationalist statements purely for political mileage.
It is evident that Mehraj Malik’s remarks are not driven by genuine concern but by a calculated strategy to fuel controversy and appease a particular vote bank. His attempts to polarize communities must be countered with facts and logic, exposing his double standards and lack of legislative substance.
