Unification, not division should be call in J&K: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Srinagar, Jan 17: Democratic Progressive Azad Party ( DPAP) chief and former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has strongly rejected recent statements of some political leaders on the division of J&K and called for a political discussion on the unity of the state of J&K as existed before the abrogation of Article 370.

Reacting to the development,  Azad made it clear that he is opposed to the division of the region anymore, as per KNS.   Azad stated that the transition of Ladakh to a Union Territory has already resulted in a 60 percent loss. He added that he is categorically against any further division of J&K, dismissing the idea of Jammu statehood as a reckless and unsubstantiated statement.

“Breaking J&K into further pieces would only aggravate the sense of grievance and make our common future more distant. The people of Jammu and Kashmir require an integrated platform for political justice, economic progress, and social cohesion. Our focus should remain on unity, peace, and joint progress, and not on lines of division,” said Azad.

Notably, the fresh political storm erupted in Jammu and Kashmir after a BJP leader revived his long-standing demand for separate statehood for the Jammu region, as per KNS. The BJP leader had reiterated his long-standing charge that Jammu has faced systematic discrimination under what he described as “Kashmir-centric rule.”

He argued that the Jammu must receive equitable treatment in development, political representation and governance. In this context, he again alluded to the need for a Hindu chief minister, which he believes would help address what he sees as a persistent structural imbalance. While the BJP leader has raised such demands earlier as well, his remarks continue to spark political debate.