Sajad Lone Advocates for Jammu's Autonomy Amidst Growing Regional Tensions

Sajad Lone, president of the Peoples Conference, supported BJP's call for making Jammu a separate state, viewing it as 'true liberation'. While Lone criticized the National Conference's stance on maintaining unity, he highlighted issues like job reservation imbalances and regional economic disparities between Kashmir and Jammu.

In a statement that stirs the political pot, Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone has aligned himself with the BJP's demand for Jammu to become a separate state. Calling it a 'true liberation', Lone expressed hope for the change while cautioning about potential opposition from 'big crocodiles' inventing new stories to counter the demand.

Lone's comments come amid rising discussions led by some BJP leaders, including Sham Lal Sharma, to declare Jammu a distinct state. This stance starkly differs from National Conference president Farooq Abdullah's insistence on keeping Jammu and Kashmir united, a notion Lone openly challenges due to the burdens it places on Kashmiris.

Citing job reservation policies and economic imbalances that favor Jammu, Lone argues that Kashmir's youth are unjustly paying the price for this unity. Despite political differences, he maintains respectful dialogue, emphasizing that separation should not sever the ties of brotherhood between Kashmiris and the people of Jammu.

(With inputs from agencies.)