Chaos In J&K Assembly Over Pir Panjal Remarks

These districts, often collectively referred to as the Pir Panjal region, became the focal point of heated protests after Sharma categorically stated that no such region existed in Jammu and Kashmir. His comments made during media interactions were met with fierce opposition, prompting legislators from the area to demand an unconditional apology.

As soon as the remarks were raised in the House by Congress MLA Iftikhar Ahmed, members from Rajouri and Poonch, including him, Aijaz Jan, Javaid Iqbal, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, and Choudhary Akram from the ruling National Conference (NC) and Independent Shabir Ahmad Kullay representing the Shopian constituency of the Kashmir Valley, erupted in protest.

They chanted slogans such as “Pir Panjal Zindabad” and “Jeevay, Jeevay Pir Panjal,” asserting the historical and cultural identity of the region. Their slogans were countered by BJP members, leading to a noisy confrontation that forced Speaker Abdur Rahim Rather to adjourn the House for fifteen minutes.

The protesting MLAs, supported by several members of the NC-Congress combine and some independent legislators, later staged a dharna outside the Assembly.

They reiterated their demand that Sharma apologise for his remarks, which they claimed had deeply hurt the sentiments of the people of Pir Panjal. The legislators highlighted that the region, bordering Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, had borne the brunt of India-Pakistan hostilities yet remained steadfast in its loyalty to the country.

They further alleged that Sharma’s “frustration” stemmed from the fact that the Muslim-majority region had not elected any BJP member in the 2024 Assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Congress MLA Iftikhar Ahmed declared that the House would not be allowed to function until Sharma tendered an apology. NC MLA Aijaz Jan echoed the demand, insisting that Sharma’s remarks were an insult to the people who defend the nation’s borders. However, Sharma remained defiant, refusing to apologise and reiterating that Jammu and Kashmir was a single entity. He argued that names such as Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley were modern constructs, urging people to consult ancient texts that referred to the area as the “Chandrabhaga division.”

Sharma accused certain political elements of attempting to create artificial regional identities that could undermine the historical and cultural unity of Jammu and Kashmir.

He maintained that the state was one entity forged under Maharaja Hari Singh and insisted that any reorganisation or official nomenclature was the prerogative of the government. He criticised attempts to project Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley as separate regions, warning that such moves could lead to unnecessary divisions.

The House again plunged into chaos and tensions escalated further when BJP members accused Speaker Rather of bias, claiming they were not given sufficient time to speak on the motion of thanks to the Lieutenant Governor’s address. In protest, all BJP legislators staged a walkout from the Assembly, despite the Speaker’s attempts to pacify them. The walkout followed a heated exchange between BJP members and the treasury benches, with ruling party legislators accusing the BJP of divisive politics and raising issues such as the selection of Muslim students on majority of seats at the Mata Vaishno Devi Medical College and working for its derecognition and eventual closure.

The Speaker rejected allegations of bias, asserting that proceedings were being conducted strictly in accordance with established rules and conventions. In an effort to restore order, NC member Nazir Ahmed Khan Gurezi requested that the Speaker send someone to persuade the BJP members to return. Following the Speaker’s authorisation, Gurezi personally approached the opposition members and persuaded them to return to the House, thereby enabling the proceedings to resume.

The day’s events underscored the deep political fault lines in J&K, with the Pir Panjal controversy adding a fresh dimension to the ongoing tussle between the BJP and the ruling alliance. The Assembly session, meant to focus on budgetary discussions, instead became a battleground of identity, representation, and political rivalry, leaving the question of regional recognition unresolved and the atmosphere charged with tension.