Resistance leader-turned-pro-India Minister Sajad Gani Lone on Thursday said the time has come when Kashmiri Muslims need to be merged into the Indian national mainstream.
Lone, who is social welfare minister on the quota of BJP in the coalition government, said Kashmiri Muslims have suffered as a result of violence in the State and they need healing touch as well as incentives. “It is the time that Muslims of Kashmir need to be merged into Indian national mainstream… they have suffered a lot and need healing touch,” Lone said.
The social welfare minister made these remarks in the Upper House of Jammu and Kashmir State Legislature. He rejected the demand of his allies, BJP, of establishing a minority commission in the State. He also rejected to give minority status to Hindus of the State, drawing flak from BJP MLCs.
The BJP MLCs were demanding minority status to Hindus as well as Sikhs of Jammu and Kashmir. But the minister said the status cannot be granted by the State and it falls in the domain of the Central Government. He further said that it will create flare up on the communal lines in the State.
Unhappy with the reply of the Minister, the BJP members created noise and shouted injustice with the Hindu community. A lawmaker of the BJP, Vibod Gupta said not granting minority status to the Hindus is a conspiracy and human rights violation.
