The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly has been thrown into turmoil after remarks made by BJP leader and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma sparked widespread anger across the Pir Panjal region. His comments, questioning the very existence of Pir Panjal as a region, have triggered protests inside the Assembly, street demonstrations in border districts, and a sharp political face-off between the ruling NC-Congress alliance and the BJP.
The controversy began after Sunil Sharma, in an interview with a news portal, dismissed demands for a National Law University in the Pir Panjal region by claiming that he had never heard of such a region and that it did not exist “in any dictionary.” He instead said the area was historically known as Chandrabhaga. This statement immediately provoked outrage, particularly among lawmakers and residents from Rajouri and Poonch districts, which are widely recognised as part of the Pir Panjal belt.
MLAs from the affected districts, including Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and Forest Minister Javed Rana, staged strong protests both inside and outside the Assembly. They demanded a public apology from Sharma, accusing him of insulting the identity, history, and sacrifices of the region. Sharma refused to apologise and countered by alleging that the protests were an attempt to divide Jammu and Kashmir on regional lines.
The issue quickly escalated beyond politics and became deeply emotional for people in the Pir Panjal belt. The region lies along the Line of Control and includes areas that have repeatedly faced cross-border shelling and violence. Residents argue that the region has paid a heavy price in terms of civilian deaths, damaged homes, and loss of livelihood. Many also feel that despite these sacrifices, Pir Panjal has remained neglected in terms of development and infrastructure.
The anger intensified after it emerged that the Jammu and Kashmir government itself has repeatedly used the term “Pir Panjal zone” in official documents, particularly for administrative appointments. This revelation weakened claims that the region does not officially exist.
The Assembly witnessed scenes of chaos for two consecutive days, with BJP legislators raising slogans like “Vande Mataram” and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai,” while ruling alliance MLAs responded with chants of “Jive Jive Pir Panjal.” Outside the House, protests erupted in Rajouri and Poonch, where locals termed Sharma’s remarks an insult to the memory of those killed in shelling and militancy-related violence.
The controversy has also revived an older political debate. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti recently demanded a separate Pir Panjal administrative division along with Chenab Valley districts, citing the region’s remoteness and lack of development. The BJP has strongly opposed this demand, seeing it as a threat to regional unity.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Sharma’s comments had “angered an entire region” and warned that the Assembly would not function smoothly unless the matter was resolved. Several MLAs have echoed this stance, insisting that an apology is non-negotiable.
What began as a remark in an interview has now turned into a major political flashpoint, exposing deep regional sensitivities, unresolved development concerns, and fragile political fault lines in Jammu and Kashmir.
