Before the Jammu and Kashmir elections, the stage for Panchayat Aaj Tak Jammu and Kashmir was set at the banks of Dal Lake in Srinagar. Sajad Lone, President of the People's Conference, also attended the 'Lone Warrior' session of Panchayat Aaj Tak Jammu and Kashmir. He spoke openly about every issue from the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections to the valley's problems and issues.
Sajad Lone stated that Delhi is experimenting a lot in this election. Under the name of national interest, anything can happen here. These elections are heavily engineered. He mentioned that all the noise is in Kashmir. There's nothing happening in Jammu. National parties are silent in view of national interest. Sajad Lone stated that targeting him is very easy. He has no godfather in Delhi.
Engineer Rashid had defeated Omar Abdullah and Sajad Lone in the Baramulla Lok Sabha election. Rashid praised Abdul Ghani Lone after being released in Delhi. When asked about it, Sajad Lone said that Abdul Ghani Lone had only two sons, and he is not aware of anything else. He needs to fight the National Conference. When asked about post-election alliances, he mentioned that he would align with secular parties, not communal ones. He is even ready to sit out.
Ideological Differences with Jamaat-e-Islami
Sajad Lone mentioned that whenever someone comes to them, they say they are sent by Delhi, but no one goes themselves. This concept is hard for him to understand. He said there's a fixed label on them to not let them progress. However, his party is growing, and growth should be sustainable. Sajad Lone mentioned that they have suffered a lot, and they are growing.
Regarding Jamaat-e-Islami running as independents, he mentioned that there is no ideological alignment. In the Lok Sabha elections, they voted heavily against them. But they have seen a lot of pain. Hundreds of their leaders are in jail. It was good that they did this. When asked whom he would like to see as CM in a hung assembly, Sajad Lone said that they are a party coming from separatism. Their identity is from their father and they have made enough changes in his legacy; they fought elections while their father did not. Mainstream parties have had a role in killings. He said that they have sat with them before, and if needed, they will again, but not with BJP.
My Children’s Third Passport
Sajad Lone revealed that both his father and father-in-law were separatists. His wife holds a Pakistani passport, making politics very difficult. He said that his children who study abroad are on their third passport. During Congress' government, they did not allow his wife to come for four years. Sajad Lone said that his passport was blocked for four years. His wife's visa has been extended month-to-month for two and a half years. He added that if a small statement goes awry or grammar is incorrect, some people compare him to his father.
He mentioned that when he contested elections in 2009, a senior leader suggested he might have been picked up by agencies. Referring to his book 'Achieving Nationhood' on the Kashmir issue, Sajad Lone said solutions exist while keeping geography intact, but the leadership level lacks it. When asked why voters should choose his party, he stated that being a survivor, he knows all the issues. He has received his father’s deceased body. He believes in decentralization of power.
Met PM Modi Three Times
Talking about his continuous attacks on the National Conference, Sajad Lone said he remained silent for three months, and he didn’t say anything. Farooq Abdullah made two statements and Omar Abdullah made two statements. If they stop making statements, he will also stop. Omar alleges that BJP released Engineer Rashid. Rashid targeted him after getting out. He asked Omar to reveal who BJP is.
He said Devendra Rana, Omar Abdullah’s right-hand man, had mentioned that in 2014, there was a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Amit Shah in a Delhi hotel for negotiations. When questioned about meeting PM Modi, he said he met him three times. First for an hour, second for 20 minutes, and third for another 20 minutes. Sajad Lone questioned Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti on how many times they met. He added that Devendra Rana mentioned a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Amit Shah in a Delhi hotel in 2014. They should reveal what was discussed.
