After a year, J&K politician Sajad Gani Lone freed from detention

Ahead of the first anniversary of abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, the government on Friday released Peoples Conference (PC) chairman Sajad Gani Lone, who was under detention since August 5 last year.

“Finally five days short of a year I have been officially informed that I am a free man,” he tweeted. “So much has changed. So have I. Jail was not a new experience. Earlier ones were harsh with usual doses of physical torture. But this was psychologically draining. Much to share hopefully soon.”

On August 5 last year, most of Kashmir’s political leadership, including three former chief ministers – Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti – were detained. While Farooq was released on March 13, Omar’s detention ended on March 24 but Mufti continues to remain detained.

Lone was part of ‘Gupkar declaration’ - the last document that was forged collectively by political parties on August 4, 2019, at Farooq Abdullah’s home on Gupkar Road to protect and safeguard Article 370, which granted special status to J&K.

Lone, a former separatist, whose father was killed by the militants, had aligned with the BJP just before 2014 Assembly polls after his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He had then termed Modi as an elder brother and soon after the PDP-BJP alliance, Lone was made a cabinet minister on the Saffron party quota.

He is married to Asma Khan, daughter of pro-independence JKLF leader late Amanullah Khan.

The BJP had even supported his bid to become Chief Minister of J&K after its relations with the PDP soured in 2018. However, once he opposed the revocation of Article 370, he was also held along with some other senior PC leaders.