Srinagar, The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU), an assembly of religious leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, has voiced strong disapproval regarding a social media video showing tourists consuming alcohol on a shikara in Dal Lake.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the MMU issued a statement expressing their distress over the behavior displayed in the video, which they received. The statement emphasized the region’s deep-rooted hospitality and respect for tourists but clarified that actions perceived as un-Islamic or unethical are unacceptable in the Muslim-majority area, known for its saintly and Sufi heritage.

The MMU has called on local hoteliers, houseboat owners, and shikara operators to monitor and prevent such practices and urged tourists to honor the cultural, moral, and religious values of Kashmir.

In a related development, the United Council of Scholars of Jammu and Kashmir has demanded the prompt arrest and punishment of a student accused of blasphemy against the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at GMC, Srinagar, noting that a formal police complaint has already been filed.