Sajjad Gani Lone

Sajad Gani Lone (born 1966) is an Indian politician,[1] and former Member of the Legislative Assembly elected from the Handwara constituency. He is the chairman of Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference.

Sajad Gani Lone
Spokesperson of People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration
In office
24 October 2020 – 19 January 2021
Preceded byposition established
Succeeded byMohammed Yousuf Tarigami
Member in J&K Legislative Assembly
In office
2015–2018
Minister for Social Welfare, ARI & Trainings and Science & Technology
In office
April 2016 – 19 June 2018
Preceded byGovernor's rule
Succeeded byGovernor's rule
Minister for Animal, Sheep Husbandry, Fisheries and Science & Technology
In office
1 March 2015 – 7 January 2016
Personal details
Born (1966-03-10) 10 March 1966
Handwara, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Political partyJammu and Kashmir People's Conference
Other political
affiliations		National Democratic Alliance (2014-2019)
Spouse
Asma Khan Lone
​
(m. 2000)​
Children2 sons
ParentAbdul Gani Lone (father)
Relatives
Residence(s)Handwara, Jammu and Kashmir, India
EducationBachelor of Commerce

Early and personal life

Sajjad Lone was born on 9 December 1966.[2] Sajjad Gani Lone is the youngest of the two sons of Abdul Ghani Lone, who was assassinated in a rally in Srinagar in 2002.[3] His brother, Bilal Gani Lone, is a member of Hurriyat Conference's Executive Council.[4] His sister, Shabnam Gani Lone, is a lawyer by profession and an independent politician from Kupwara, J&K.[5][6][7][8]

Sajjad attended Burn Hall School in Srinagar and graduated from the University of Wales, College of Cardiff, UK in 1989.[2]

Sajjad Lone is married to Asma Khan, daughter of Amanullah Khan, the Pakistan-based leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front.[9][10][11] The couple have two sons.

Political career

Lone remained associated with the Hurriyat for a while in early 2000's but in 2004, after the assassination of his father, Lone became the chairman of People's Conference.[12]

Before he stood as an independent candidate in the 2009 Indian general election from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, he in 2008, at the height of the Amarnath land transfer controversy, believed that the protests were a mass uprising against Indian rule and decided to boycott the Assembly elections.[13][14][15] He was defeated by the National Conference candidate Sharifuddin Shariq.[16]

Sajjad Gani Lone speaking at the book launch of "Gilgit Baltistan and its Saga of Unending Human Rights Violations" by Alok Bansal. (Also pictured is Ram Madhav, National General Secretary, BJP and Lt Gen Ata Hasnain).

In 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly election, Lone won Handwara assembly constituency in north Kashmir, by a margin of more than 5000 votes.[17] He was the one of the two People's Conference candidates elected to the state legislative assembly.[13] His party JKPC led in all blocks of Handwara constituency including Rajwar, Ramhal and Magam.

In 2018, days after BJP withdrew its support to the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, Lone staked claim to form the government in the erstwhile state as he possessed the required support of BJP and some other lawmakers. However, the then Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the state assembly without letting Lone to prove his claim.[18][19]

Opposition to the revocation of special status

Sajad Gani Lone has been vocal supporter of special status of Jammu & Kashmir. He was part of an-all party group formed for safeguarding Jammu and Kashmir's special status. Hours before BJP-led centre revoked the special status of the status by reading down the Article 370, Lone was put under house arrest. On 5 August, Lone was arrested by Jammu & Kashmir police and lodged in a jail in Srinagar. He was taken into police custody on 5 August 2019 and was freed from detention on 31 July 2020.

Recognition
  • Sajjad Lone featured in list of top 6 Indians of 2015 by Khaleej Times, UAE.[20][21]

References
  1. "Lone Threat To The Big Two | Outlook India Magazine". www.outlookindia.com/.
  2. "Sajjad Gani Biography - About family, political life, awards won, history". Elections in India. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
  3. Thakur, Sankarshan (12 May 2009). "Off boycott coldstore, on steep uphill". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 May 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  4. "Two brothers, two ideologies and big Lone family stands at the crossroads of history". DNA India. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  5. Hussain, Masood. "Some try to enter J&K House via sympathy route". The Economic Times. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  6. "Sibling rivalry: Farooq, Lone face stiff opposition from sisters | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. 15 November 2008.
  7. "Shabnam Lone". www.outlookindia.com/.
  8. "Political leaders estranged from kin -The Tribune, Chandigarh, India". www.tribuneindia.com.
  9. "A Marriage Of Convenience | Outlook India Magazine". www.outlookindia.com/.
  10. "Big guns gather for Lone son's wedding". www.rediff.com.
  11. "Sajjad Lone's passport application in limbo". Deccan Herald. 21 May 2015.
  12. "Thousands rally to remember Ghani Lone". Daily Times. Media Times. 23 May 2005. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  13. "Meet the separatist-turned-nationalist younger brother of PM Modi in J&K". ThePrint. 24 November 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  14. Blakely, Rhys (13 May 2009). "Tension in Kashmir as separatist leader Sajjad Lone stands in election ". Times Online. Times Newspapers. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  15. "Sajjad's switchover". The Hindu. 25 April 2009 – via www.thehindu.com.
  16. "NC-Cong alliance sweeps J-K, Sajjad Lone defeated". The Hindu. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  17. "Election Results: Sajjad Lone, Former Separatist With Pakistani Wife, Wins in Kashmir". NDTV.com.
  18. "Staked Claim As We Have Numbers In Jammu And Kashmir, Says Sajjad Lone". NDTV.com. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  19. Chronicle, Deccan (23 November 2018). "J&K: Staked claim to form govt as we have numbers, asserts Sajjad Lone". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 23 July 2022.
  20. Shaban, Sadiq. "Khaleej Times profiles six Indians who have recently made a mark in their respective fields". Khaleej Times.
  21. Umer Maqbool (15 August 2015). "Sajjad Lone among top 6 Indians". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
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