Hurriyat leader and Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, and MP Srinagar Aga Ruhullah Mehdi have condemned the alleged removal of a signboard in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk that urged tourists to respect local culture, refrain from alcohol and drug use, and keep the city clean.
The signboard, installed by the Traders Association Central Lal Chowk Srinagar, welcomed visitors and advised them to “love and cherish their families” while respecting local traditions. It specifically asked tourists to avoid consuming liquor, using drugs, spitting on roads, and smoking in public spaces.
Mirwaiz questioned the move, saying, “Is promoting moral values and decency now a crime in Kashmir?”
Mehdi, criticizing the action, wrote on X, “Even appealing to tourists to respect local sensitivities is now illegal in Kashmir. Will @JmuKmrPolice clarify which law was violated by the signboard? Or is the only law in place the one that silences Kashmiris?”
He further accused the administration of suppressing Kashmiri identity. “The colonial LG administration, in cahoots with the security forces, has turned Kashmir into an Orwellian nightmare—where people can’t protest, safeguard their identity, or even speak for their culture,” he stated.
Mehdi warned that such suppression would only fuel resistance. “Suppression breeds resentment. The more you push Kashmiris to the wall, the stronger their will to break it down. Kashmiris, like any other society in this country, have the right to preserve and protect their culture and faith.”
Calling for a change in approach, he urged the police to act with responsibility. “@JmuKmrPolice is advised to not work like a colonial power but work and behave as local police guided by law and respectful to the community and its sensitivities,” he added.
The removal of the signboard has sparked debate, with some arguing that community-driven initiatives promoting ethical conduct should not require official approval, while others believe such messages must align with government regulations.