Srinagar : Former separatist leader Bilal Gani Lone has entered the political mainstream, saying his primary motivation is to correctly represent the “true legacy” of his late father, Abdul Gani Lone, which he claims has been misrepresented even “within the family”.
Lone’s comments are seen as a veiled critique of his brother, MLA Sajjad Lone, who has been in mainstream politics for years. In an interview with the PTI Videos, Bilal Lone said that he and his brother have been on “different political paths since 2002”.
Wishing Sajjad Lone all the best in his future endeavours, Bilal Lone sought to convey a clear message to him, saying, “Please do politics on your own strength and not exploit the ideology” of their late father.
He said the senior Lone stood for “non-violence” and the “dignity of his people” and that these principles will remain at the core of his own politics.
He said the People’s Conference, the party founded by his father, “died on 21 May 2002” — the day of his father’s martyrdom.
He vowed to pursue an “organic” path, building his politics “on his own strength” and steering clear of the “politics of exploitation”.
Abdul Gani Lone, a votary for a dialogue, was killed by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists on May 21, 2002, in downtown Srinagar, where he had gone to mark the death anniversary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq.
Lone asserted that he has no grand political vision but a simple vow to “speak the truth”, and stressed he is not in the race for any position like chief minister or MLA but is driven by a desire to “pay back” his people.
“If the door of my house closes because of the truth, I have no problem with that,” he said, describing his new political journey as a collective effort moving at a “snail’s pace” to regain trust.
Lone said that while he and his former Hurriyat colleagues “could not do anything” for the people, his ties with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remain strong.
He called the Mirwaiz a leader of a “very big stature” with a significant role to play, adding that he would be willing to follow him if he took a constructive political path.
Bilal Lone said his decision to shift political paths is to save the youth, whom he described as the “biggest casualty of the conflict” and added that “violence has given us nothing”.
“Violence ne yahan par barbaadi hi laayi hai (violence has only brought disaster)” and “finished generations” and left Kashmiris “at the receiving end”, he said.
His new political narrative will go beyond the traditional focus on roads, power, and water. He plans to address the future of the new generation by talking about their education, health facilities and business prospects.
Bilal Lone also said that reconciliation between Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits is essential, as the “biggest casualty” in the Valley has been trust between the two communities. He stressed that a fresh start is necessary for the two communities.
“Kashmiri Muslims need to understand that if a Kashmiri Pandit lives in our neighbourhood, that is my duty to safeguard him, not the state,” he said while emphasising the need for sincerity and a frank conversation about past wrongs between the two communities.
“Whatever wrong has been done in the past… let us address those people. Let us go and talk to them,” he said, suggesting that if a mistake was made, an apology should be offered. (PTI)
