Politicians are known for displaying the dual traits of eccentricity and euphemism. Perhaps the blend of both was at show when Ms Mehbooba Mufti’s social welfare minister rose up to address the house of elders. Sajjad Lone while rejecting demand of right wing BJP lawmakers said that Hindus can’t be declared minorities in J&K.
If that was euphemism part of his address, then the remark—there is a need to merge Kashmiri Muslims into national mainstream of India—sounded eccentric. Many said it was an off beam analogy to draw on part of minister.
But for ‘suave’ lawmaker whose rise on politics passed through an intriguing trajectory, the demand of declaring Hindus as minority in Jammu and Kashmir was akin to add to the fire.
However, the denial came from the man seen as BJP’s installation in PDP-BJP coalition government. In past, even ex-CM Omar Abdullah criticized him for supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But in Council, Lone’s argument was based on his belief that Muslims of Kashmir need incentives and healing touch as they have suffered a lot due to violence over the years. Well, this wasn’t for the first time Lone spoke on these lines—especially after joining the unionist camp.
An ex-separatist born in 1967, Lone is the youngest son of prominent political figure of Kashmir, Abdul Ghani Lone, killed in a rally in Srinagar in 2002. After his father’s assassination, Lone became the chairman of People’s Conference.
Known for his articulation, Lone argued that Jammu has a Hindu majority and Kashmir has a Muslim majority. By this logic, he said, we cannot declare minorities at block levels—we have to follow the national criteria, he said.
The minister was responding to a clubbed query of MLCs Vibodh Gupta, Dhrambir Singh and Charanjeet Singh: whether the state government “intends to set up a minority commission”? The minister said there is no such proposal.
Lone contested 2009 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate from Baramulla. He was defeated by the National Conference candidate Sharifuddin Shariq. In the 2014 state election, Lone won Handwara assembly seat by a margin of more than 5000 votes.
Married to Asma Khan, daughter of the late Pakistan-based pro-independence JKLF leader Aman-ullah Khan, Lone is seen as antithesis of his father-in-law.
Despite articulating a blend of eccentricity and euphemism, Lone had to face disgruntled BJP legislators who stood up from their seats demanding Hindus be declared as minorities in J&K. Sometimes, even an ally fails to strike some sense.
– Riyaz Ul Khaliq
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