In a shocking turn of events, Mehraj Malik, an MLA for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), caused a stir in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly by making a contentious statement that Hindus drink. Opposition leader Sunil Sharma strongly condemned the comments, which was made during a contentious discussion about regional cultural customs, and said that the ruling National Conference (NC) was essentially supporting it. In an already divisive area, the event has quickly developed into a full-fledged political storm that might worsen intercommunal tensions.
Background: An Perplexed Area
The Assembly will now have a historical precedent for Jammu and Kashmir based on that date. Since Article 370 of 2019 was revised, the region’s unique status was revoked, and it was reorganized as a Union Territory, it has been a genuine fire of political anger.
One of the first Assembly sessions following the 2024 elections, this one has seen intense debate on topics like governance, sovereignty restoration, and cultural identity even as the two chambers convened. The opposition, led by the BJP, continues to be a strong voice intentionally promoting a nationalist agenda, while the National Conference, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, maintains a tenuous majority when working with other smaller parties like the AAP.Mehraj Malik is the first-term MLA from the Doda constituency, which is heralding the AAP into J&K politics.
This has been done to carve out niche space in a conventional political landscape almost entirely led by regional heavyweights like the NC and PDP. Senior BJP leader and Kishtwar MLA Sunil Sharma has been vehemently critical of the government led by NC and has very often used cultural and religious mediums to give his opposition a particular flavor.
Against this backdrop, Malik’s comment sounded like a lit match in a tinderbox and exposed the fault lines of J&K’s fragile political equilibrium. This is part of the frenzy that began debating a bill to encourage the local cultural heritage while venturing into discussing its aforementioned kinds of ancient practices as part of the modern-day governance. While the bill itself is only procedural, it does cast a shadow of what the scene at the Assembly was churning up for the subsequent controversy.
The The incident: A Remark That Had consequences
During the session on March 19, 2025, Mehraj Malik rose to speak on the cultural heritage bill, emphasizing the need for inclusive policies that respect all communities in J&K.
However, his speech took a contentious turn when he remarked, “It’s a known fact that Hindus consume alcohol as part of their traditions, just as other communities have their own practices.” The statement, intended perhaps as a rhetorical point about cultural diversity, immediately drew gasps from the opposition benches.
Sunil Sharma was quick to interrupt, accusing Malik of blasphemy and disrespecting Hindu sentiments. “This is an outrageous insult to the Hindu community,” Sharma thundered, slamming his desk for emphasis.
“Alcohol is not a part of our sacred traditions, and such a sweeping generalization is meant to provoke and divide.” He further alleged that the National Conference’s silence during the exchange signaled complicity, a charge that reverberated through the Assembly hall.
Rapid Comments: A Political Instability
The fallout from Mehraj Malik’s remark was swift and unrelenting. Sunil Sharma held a press conference outside the Assembly, flanked by other BJP leaders, where he reiterated his demand for an apology and called for Malik’s suspension from the Assembly. “The NC-led government has shown its true colors by not condemning this statement outright,” Sharma said. “This is not just an attack on Hindus but a deliberate attempt to polarize J&K for political gains.”
The National Conference, caught off guard by the controversy, issued a cautious response. A senior NC leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, told reporters that Mehraj Malik’s views were his own and did not reflect the party’s stance. “We respect all communities and their beliefs,” the leader said. “This was an unfortunate remark, and we urge all sides to focus on the real issues facing J&K.” Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was not present during the session, has yet to comment directly, though sources suggest he is working behind the scenes to defuse the situation.
AAP, for its part, scrambled to contain the damage. The party’s J&K unit released a statement claiming Malik’s comment was “misinterpreted” and taken out of context. “Our MLA was making a broader point about cultural diversity, not targeting any community,” the statement read. “We regret any hurt caused and will address this internally.” Malik himself later posting a brief apology: “If my words hurt anyone, I am sorry. My intent was to foster understanding, not division.”
Public reaction has been mixed. In Jammu, where the BJP enjoys strong support, protests erupted outside AAP’s local office, with demonstrators burning effigies of Malik. In Srinagar, however, some residents expressed frustration over what they see as the opposition’s attempt to manufacture a controversy. “This is a distraction from real issues like unemployment and statehood,” said Irfan Ahmed, a shopkeeper in Lal Chowk. “Why are they fighting over a stray remark?”
Broad Consequences: A Region at a Crucial Moment
Mehraj Malik’s remark has sparked a controversy that is more than a day-to-day political comment-it actually highlights the thin line of communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir, a region already reeling under the aftershock of constitutional changes in 2019.
It is increasingly becoming the view of analysts that, as a consequence of the event, communities will become more suspicious of each other, most particularly in Jammu, where Hindus number the most in a general narrative portraying the Kashmiri identity.
On the political front, both NC and AAP have to grapple with this incident. The NC is already facing a most difficult coalition with smaller parties and, if becomes a bit lenient towards Malik, will alienate its Hindu voter base in Jammu.
Omar Abdullah, who is well-known for his careful approach, will have to handle the situation carefully so as not to inflame further tensions. The incident is likely derailing AAP’s attempts to make inroads in J&K politics. The inexperience of Mehraj Malik has cast a spotlight on the party’s preparedness to handle New Kashmir’s complex dynamics.
Meanwhile, the BJP sees this as an opportunity to further cement its electoral base in the event of future elections. Framing his statement as attacking Hindu interests, then the party can court the favor of its fundamental constituents while portraying the NC-led government as weak on the culture front. Critics, however, maintain that the aggressive posture from the opposition overrides the possibility that it could end up being unnecessarily volatile, thereby energizing a wider public agitation.
Besides the immediate fallout of politics, the incident exemplifies what is perhaps the major challenge that governance faces within J&K, the Assembly itself being consumed in debate over a single phrase, rather than addressing urgent issues like unemployment and infrastructure, in the restoration of statehood. Analysts argue that this works well for those who subsist on a divided polity and hinders both unity and progress in the region.
A Review of Self-Control and Leadership
In a matter of days, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will reassemble, and it will be interesting to see how Mehraj Malik and the NC-led government deal with the aftermaths of this controversy.
Will Mehraj Malik either reaffirm his statement or will he be gracious enough to offer a thorough apology to calm the upset? Will the BJP demand a censure motion or suspension against him, or will it leave the issue and take up other matters in the legislature? And, perhaps most importantly, will Omar Abdullah be able to steer the Assembly back toward the realm of meaningful governance, or will this incident cast an indelible shadow on his government?
For now, this incident becomes another reminder of how tenuous is the political and social fabric of J&K. In a land where words can have as much effect as deeds, leaders must act with reasonable restraint and wise choice on all sides so that this one comment does not roll back decades of painstakingly earned strides.
By the time this ruckus settles, the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve a public discourse above petty controversies addressing their real issues—a high standing in a highly charged political climate possible.
