Srinagar

Peoples Conference president Sajad Lone on Wednesday accused the Jammu region of showing what he described as a persistent and disproportionate resistance to development initiatives in Kashmir, remarking that the time may have come to consider an “amicable divorce” between the two regions of the Union Territory.

Lone’s comments come amid demands from certain quarters seeking the relocation of the recently announced National Law University from Budgam in central Kashmir to Jammu, along with renewed calls for separating Jammu from Kashmir.

In a statement, the Handwara MLA urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to honour his election promise of establishing the law university in Budgam, stressing that the credibility of the chief minister’s office rests on fulfilling commitments made to the electorate.

Highlighting what he termed an entrenched opposition to Kashmir-centric projects, Lone said he wished prosperity for Jammu but criticised what he called an unhealthy fixation on opposing initiatives meant for Kashmir. Questioning the objections, he pointed out that Jammu already hosts an Indian Institute of Management and asked why a law university could not be set up in Kashmir as well.

Lone suggested that the ongoing friction warrants a serious rethinking of the administrative relationship between the two regions. “This is no longer just about development. Jammu has increasingly been used as a stick to target Kashmir,” he said, adding that the idea of separation is gaining traction.

He also accused some Jammu-based voices of displaying “selective bravery”, alleging they remained silent when decisions such as the abolition of the Darbar Move and diversion of business activities affected their own region, but chose to speak out aggressively only against Kashmir.

According to Lone, Kashmir’s integration with the rest of the country cannot be achieved through what he described as intermediaries who consistently portray the region in a negative light. “You cannot integrate a region while simultaneously branding it as hostile or terrorist,” he said.

He further claimed that public sentiment in Kashmir has shifted, particularly in the context of reservation policies and regional representation, asserting that many Kashmiris feel increasingly marginalised.

“I believe the appetite for separation is now far stronger in Kashmir than ever before. What is needed is leadership willing to speak honestly and confront the reality,” Lone added.

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The remarks follow a recent controversy triggered by BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma, who called for Jammu’s separation over alleged discrimination. The BJP’s state leadership later clarified that the statement did not reflect the party’s official position.