Now Reading: Ladakh women from all faiths demand complete liquor ban
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Ladakh women from all faiths demand complete liquor ban
The Story in Brief
Women in Ladakh from Buddhist, Muslim and Christian communities have launched a round-the-clock sit-in at NDS Park in Leh, demanding a complete ban on alcohol sales across the Union Territory. The protest, led by the women's wing of the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA), was triggered by the administration's new excise policy that allowed the number of liquor retail outlets to increase from two to 20. Protesters say the policy ignores local traditions, public sentiment, and poses a threat to cultural fabric, public health and family safety, including risk of domestic violence and substance abuse.
Chief Secretary Ashish Kundra, who met women representatives along with Excise Commissioner Romil Singh Donk, called for wider consultations to build consensus and find a middle path. The administration stated that the Excise Policy 2026-27 had been rolled back and the Excise Policy 2025-26 was now in force, under which only one retail vend is functional. Kundra cited experiences of Bihar and Haryana where complete prohibition led to spurious liquor and drug proliferation, and stressed the need to balance public sentiment with tourism and economic interests. A broader consultation meeting is expected towards the end of October.
Indian Opinion Analysis
ABP Live frames the protest as a united multi-faith movement, quoting activists and religious bodies, and leads with the demand for a complete ban and allegations that the administration ignored local sentiment. ThePrint, via a PTI report, focuses on the Chief Secretary's response, presenting the administration as open to dialogue and emphasising the practical challenges of prohibition, such as spurious liquor and tourism impact. Both sources agree the 2026-27 excise policy has been rolled back and that a consultation is pending. ThePrint gives space to the administration's warning on unintended consequences, which ABP Live omits. A balanced reading: the administration has acknowledged the outcry and reversed the policy, but the women's groups have escalated their demand to a total ban, leaving the outcome dependent on the promised wider consultations.
The next step is the broader consultation meeting that the administration has said will be held towards the end of October.
Coverage: 2 sources, 2 neutral
Sources (2): abplive.com (neutral report), theprint.in (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
