Srinagar, Jan 21: Peoples Conference president and Handwara MLA Sajad Lone on Wednesday supported the BJP’s demand for a separate Jammu state, describing it as a moment of “true liberation” for Kashmir.
In a statement, Lone said he prayed for the separation to become a reality, calling it a “rare and golden moment” for Kashmiris. He cautioned, however, that powerful interests would attempt to derail the process by creating new narratives.
“I pray to God that separation becomes possible. It would be true liberation. But beware, the big crocodiles will invent new stories tomorrow. Still, despite everything, we hope this comes to pass,” Lone said, reacting to the demand raised by several BJP leaders, including former minister Sham Lal Sharma.
Challenging National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s stand in favour of maintaining the unity of Jammu and Kashmir, Lone questioned who was bearing the cost of what he termed a “so-called unity.” He said unemployed youth in Kashmir were paying the price every day.
Referring to Kashmir’s demographic size, Lone said Kashmiris were a small population compared to the rest of the country and questioned whether they were being forced to shoulder an unfair burden. “India has a population of 1.5 billion. We are barely six or seven million. Did we ever sign a contract to safeguard secularism at the cost of our own future?” he asked.
He said that while Kashmiri leaders often spoke about secular values, Kashmiri students and traders continued to face attacks, humiliation, and targeting in different parts of the country. According to him, such incidents exposed the hypocrisy behind claims of secular unity used to justify keeping Jammu and Kashmir together.
Expressing personal respect for Farooq Abdullah, Lone said his disagreement with him was purely political. “Farooq Sahib is our elder and I respect him deeply, but politically I am in complete opposition to him,” he said.
Lone also alleged that reservation policies had systematically diverted job opportunities away from Kashmir to Jammu, further aggravating unemployment in the Valley. “Who will bear the loss of jobs being taken away from Kashmir?” he asked.
On the economic front, he claimed that Jammu’s economy largely depended on Kashmir and Kashmiri labour, yet major development projects continued to be directed towards Jammu at the Valley’s expense.
However, Lone stressed that separation should not lead to hostility between the two regions. He said the people of Jammu would continue to be treated as brothers even after separation. “Just as people from Maharashtra, Delhi, or Gujarat are our brothers and are welcome here, the people of Jammu will remain our brothers as well. God willing, brotherhood will endure even after separation,” he said.
