Bilal Bhat
Srinagar, June 9:
With a resolve forged through fasting and faith, Dr. Sandeep Mawa, noted social reformer and founder of the J&K Reconciliation Front, has once again stirred conscience and controversy alike—this time by announcing a peaceful march through Lal Chowk on June 10, demanding an immediate ban on liquor sales in Kashmir and urgent protection of endangered temple lands.
Currently recuperating at JLNM Hospital, where he was rushed after five continuous days of fasting in protest, Dr. Mawa remains undeterred. “I may be weak in body,” he told supporters earlier this week, “but my spirit will never surrender to silence when our land and values are under siege.”
The call for protest—circulating widely on social media—has drawn support from civil society groups, religious organizations, and community elders under a unifying slogan:
“Rise for Righteousness, March for Kashmir.”
The march, scheduled to begin at 11:00 AM from Press Enclave Lal Chowk, is framed not as a political statement but a spiritual appeal. “This is Reshiwaer—the sacred valley of sages and saints,” reads the campaign flyer. “We must not let commercial interests or administrative negligence desecrate what generations have revered.”
Dr. Mawa’s twin demands are simple, yet loaded with implications: a complete ban on liquor in Kashmir, and protection of Hindu temples and heritage sites, many of which, he alleges, have been encroached upon, looted, or deliberately neglected.
“This is not about religion or politics,” said one marcher from Baramulla preparing to join Tuesday’s rally. “This is about preserving the soul of Kashmir, the values our grandparents lived by and which we’re slowly losing to greed and apathy.”
Mawa’s hunger strike, which began quietly in Sumbal last week, turned into a lightning rod for public debate after reports emerged of threats and alleged intimidation attempts. “He was fasting alone, under the sky, with just a tricolor and a placard,” said a supporter. “And yet, someone left a bullet near him to shut him up. What does that tell you about the rot we are fighting?”
Despite his deteriorating health, Mawa’s voice has grown only louder. In videos shared from the hospital, he has called upon people of all communities to join hands—not in protest alone, but in moral awakening. “We are not marching against anyone. We are marching for Kashmir—its honor, its heritage, its future.”
The administration has so far remained silent, but sources confirm additional security deployment around Lal Chowk for Tuesday’s event. No statements have been issued yet by the tourism or excise departments.
Observers note that this march comes at a time when the Valley is witnessing a quiet resurgence in grassroots activism, especially around issues of cultural identity, land protection, and moral policy. With slogans like “Ban alcohol, not our conscience” and “Temples are not real estate”, the movement is already gaining emotional traction.
Whether the protest leads to policy change or not, Dr. Sandeep Mawa’s stand is already being etched into the growing narrative of civilian assertion in Kashmir—not just against corruption or terrorism, but against the slow erosion of values and legacy.
“I don’t know if banning alcohol will happen tomorrow,” said an elderly Pandit who plans to attend the march. “But I do know this—when one man fasts and fights for the dignity of our shrines and streets, we cannot afford to sit quietly anymore.”
As Kashmir continues to grapple with questions of modernity and morality, Tuesday’s march may well become a defining moment in the Valley’s evolving conscience.
