Shia Clerics in India Warn Against De-Islamization and Deregulation of Haram Products
Shia Clerics in India Warn Against De-Islamization and Deregulation of Haram Products
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A prominent Shia religious organization in the northern Indian territory of Ladakh has strongly condemned new local government policies deregulating the sale and taxation of alcohol and other forbidden (haram) products in Muslim-majority areas.
The Jamiat al-Ulama Isna Asharia (Council of Twelver Scholars) in Kargil issued a stern warning that these policies undermine Islamic values, threaten social stability, and target the moral health of the youth. Speaking at a press conference, the organization’s General Secretary, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalili, and political official Sajjad Kargili demanded an immediate, total ban on these items, threatening peaceful region-wide protests across Ladakh if the legislation is not repealed.
Indian media outlets, including The Times of India and Greater Kashmir, report that government officials have legalized and promoted these prohibited beverages under the guise of boosting tourism and increasing local revenue.
According to the Press Trust of India (PTI), this policy is part of a broader trend by the central administration. A similar half-century-old ban on alcohol was recently lifted in the southwestern, Muslim-majority archipelago territory of Lakshadweep.
Shia scholars have called upon civil society organizations and community leaders to resist these commercial measures. Religious analysts view the unified stance of India’s Shia community as a direct effort to protect their theological and ethical boundaries against perceived secularization and cultural erosion.
