Srinagar, Jan 06 : Reacting to remarks by a BJP legislator suggesting separate statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, Cabinet Minister Javed Rana on Tuesday said that J&K has already faced multiple divisions and that further fragmentation is neither demanded by people nor sustainable.
Responding to a question about BJP MLA, Rana said the issue was serious and needed to be viewed in its historical context.
“There was a time when Jammu and Kashmir was a full-fledged state. Its boundaries extended up to the borders, and people across regions were emotionally connected,” Rana said as per KNS.
He further said that Jammu and Kashmir had already been divided in the past. “One part was given to Pakistan, Gilgit-Baltistan went to Pakistan, and Ladakh was separated. Now what remains is Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Rana said it was ironic that those responsible for earlier divisions were now speaking about creating new states. “The people who divided Jammu and Kashmir earlier are now talking about making areas like Kishtwar–Ramban–Doda (Chenab region) or parts of Jammu a separate state,” he said.
The minister said there was no widespread public demand for such a move. “Tell me how many Pir Panjal regions are there? How many Chenab regions are there? There is no such demand coming from these areas,” he said.
He added that if any region genuinely demanded statehood and it happened through a democratic process, it would be a different matter. “If Jammu or the Chenab region becomes a state through such a process, then who can stop it?” he said.
However, Rana said that he believes in a united future for the region. “I have said this earlier as well, the day is not far when Ladakh will again come together with Jammu and Kashmir, and there will be a united Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Rana further said that, in his view, the Government of India would eventually have no option but to move in that direction. “Apart from this, I believe the Government of India has no other option,” he added.(KNS)
