The removal of a signboard in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, which urged tourists to refrain from consuming alcohol and drugs in public, continues to draw criticism, with preacher Aga Syed Mohammad Hadi now questioning the police action.
In a post on X, Hadi criticized the administration’s move, asking, “Why couldn’t they leave it up for even an hour? Are they not part of the campaign for a drug-free Kashmir?” The signboard, installed by the Lal Chowk Traders Association, had requested tourists to respect local sensitivities and avoid alcohol in public spaces.
Earlier, Hurriyat leader and Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, had also condemned the removal of the sign, questioning whether promoting “moral values and decency” had become a crime in Kashmir. Member of Parliament Aga Ruhullah Mehdi went further, calling it itself an act of suppression. “Even appealing to tourists to respect local sensitivities is now illegal in Kashmir,” he posted, challenging the police to clarify which law had been violated.