Ladakh is up in arms against the newly-introduced excise policy introduced by the Lieutenant Governor’s administration, which pushed to increase the liquor outlets from two to 20 and make it available in remote pockets like Nubra, Changthang, Sham and Zanskar. 

“Our stand is clear. We do not support the opening of 20 new wine shops or the unrestricted sale of alcohol in hotels, guest houses, and homestays. We want a safe, healthy, and drug-free future for Ladakh,” said the influential Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), in a statement.

The LBA termed the new excise policy as “a serious threat to the region’s social fabric, youth welfare, and future generations”. The members of the LBA had met Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on May 27 “to review the functioning of Drug De-addiction Centres in Leh and Kargil and assess the growing challenge of substance abuse in the region”.

“We fail to understand the logic that making alcohol more accessible will reduce drug abuse. Such a move may only worsen the situation by introducing additional social and health problems,” the LBA said.

The LBA demanded immediate withdrawal of the recently issued notification concerning new liquor licenses and urged the administration to retain the existing excise framework. 

Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), an amalgam of social, religious and political parties in Kargil, also opposed the new excise policy. “Addressing one addiction by promoting another is neither sound public policy nor a credible strategy for safeguarding society. Ladakh, and particularly Kargil, has long been guided by social values and principles that discourage the use of intoxicants,” said Sajad Kargili, a member of the KDA.

Mr. Kargili said alcohol has never been a part of our cultural ethos, nor is its consumption accepted by the overwhelming majority of our people. “Any attempt to normalise or institutionalise alcohol under the pretext of revenue generation or tourism promotion runs contrary to the sentiments, traditions, and aspirations of the local population,” said Mr. Kargili.

He urged the authorities “to refrain from repeatedly imposing policies that lack public consent and fail to take into account the unique social, cultural, and moral sensitivities of the region”. 

Ladakh Member of Parliament Haji Hanifa also opposed the L-G’s move. “To wane locals away from one bad habit, another bad habit cannot be introduced. Drug addiction is increasing in Ladakh at an alarming rate. The L-G policy, if implemented, will only add more youth into addiction. If liquor is banned in Bihar and Gujarat, why introduce it in Ladakh?” said MP Hanifa.

The new excise policy framed for Ladakh allows consumption of liquor within hotel rooms, simplifies licensing procedures by reducing required documents from 16 to 6, and removes the requirement for district administration approval for licences.

The new policy termed the earlier policy a “restrictive regime”, which created an artificial scarcity of liquor in Ladakh and prompted tourists and residents to rely on illicit sources and causing revenue losses to the UT.