The liquor debate in Jammu and Kashmir intensified as leaders, including Dr. Farooq Abdullah (president of the National Conference party), expressed reluctance to impose a complete ban on alcohol sales due to potential revenue losses. Opposition parties, including the J&K Apni Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have urged the government to follow the example set by Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, who recently closed 717 liquor shops near sensitive locations such as temples and schools. Abdullah referenced former Prime Minister Morarji Desai's advocacy for a liquor ban in the 1970s, noting that financial compensation from the Central government would be necessary for such a ban to be feasible. Critics, including Kashmir chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, argue that alcohol consumption is detrimental to society and call for a total prohibition, emphasizing that the ongoing drug campaign will be ineffective without addressing liquor sales. The discourse highlights the tension between economic considerations and public health in the region.