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The X  account of Iltija Mufti, daughter of former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, was withheld in India on Monday, May 11. This action follows a legal demand from authorities after the Cyber Police Kashmir filed an FIR regarding the circulation of a video clip featuring the late Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

The Legal Dispute

The FIR, lodged against unidentified individuals, alleges that the video "promotes separatist ideology and propagates false information with the intent to incite unlawful activities prejudicial to the peace, sovereignty, and integrity of India."

Iltija Mufti had posted the archival footage of Geelani with the following caption:

"May not concur with Geelani Sahab’s ideology, but this old video of him stressing the importance of Urdu makes a lot of sense. Worth a watch." She shared the clip in response to the Jammu and Kashmir government’s decision to drop Urdu from revenue services in the Union Territory (UT). Before the account was restricted, the post gained significant traction, surpassing 150,000 views and 160 reposts. In the video, Geelani discussed the cultural and religious importance of Urdu across India, Pakistan, and Kashmir.

Criticism of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah

In a separate development, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader has publicly criticized Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, labeling his justification for not banning alcohol in the UT as "illogical." The dispute stems from Abdullah’s recent remarks, in which he suggested that liquor outlets remain open to accommodate residents and tourists whose religions do not prohibit alcohol consumption.

The Core of the Critique

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mufti questioned the Chief Minister’s reasoning by pointing to precedents in other parts of India:

"J-K CM's expected U-turn on the refusal to prohibit liquor shops lacks logic. He claims it is wrong to impose a ban on Hindus consuming alcohol since their religion does not forbid it. If this is the case, how have Hindu majority states like Gujarat and Bihar banned alcohol successfully without a whimper?"

She further argued that the Chief Minister’s stance overlooks the cultural and religious context of the region:

"We are proud of J-K's secular credentials, but deeply unfortunate and insensitive for its chief minister to dismiss religious sensibilities of the majority with such indifference,"

Abdullah’s Stance

The controversy stems from an interaction in Ganderbal, where Abdullah addressed the growing calls for prohibition. He maintained that the government does not actively promote alcohol use, placing the responsibility on the individual.

"Is anyone forcing them to drink? You are going to (a wine) shop on your own will. Why are you going there? We are not dragging you there. We are not advertising it,"

While Abdullah emphasized personal choice and the religious freedom of minority faiths, Mufti's rebuttal suggests that the administration is being dismissive of the majority population's concerns, citing the successful implementation of "dry states" elsewhere as proof that a ban is feasible.