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Sajjad Gani Lone


Sajjad 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.

Sajjad Gani Lone
Former Spokesperson of People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration
In office
24 October 2020 – 19 January 2021
Succeeded byMohammed Yousuf Tarigami
Member in J&K Legislative Assembly
Assumed 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 (age 59)
Handwara, Jammu and Kashmir, India
Political partyJammu and Kashmir People's Conference
Other political
affiliations		National Democratic Alliance (2014-2019)
Spouse(s)
Asma Khan Lone
(
m. 2000)
Children2 sons
Parent(s)Abdul Gani Lone (father)
RelativesShabnam Ghani Lone (sister)
ResidenceHandwara, Jammu and Kashmir, India
EducationBachelor of Commerce

Early and personal lifeEdit

Sajjad Lone was born on 9 December 1966.[2] Sajjad Gani Lone is the youngest son of Abdul Ghani Lone, who was assassinated in a rally in Srinagar in 2002.[3] He has a sister, Shabnam Ghani Lone, who is a lawyer in the Supreme Court of India.[4][5][6] He attended Burn Hall School in Srinagar and graduated from the University of Wales, College of Cardiff, UK in 1989.[2]

Sajjad Gani Lone is married to Asma Khan, daughter of the Pakistan-based pro-independence JKLF leader Amanullah Khan.[7][8][9] They have two sons.

Political careerEdit

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.[10]

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.[11][12][13] He was defeated by the National Conference candidate Sharifuddin Shariq.[14]

File:Book Launch of Gilgit Baltistan And Its Saga of Unending Human Rights Violations by Alok Bansal, speaking at podium is Sajad Lone.jpg
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.[15] He was the only People's Conference candidate elected, on BJP quota, to the state legislative assembly.[11] His party JKPC led in all blocks of Handwara constituency including Rajwar, Ramhal and Magam.

Opposition to the revocation of special statusEdit

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.[citation needed]

RecognitionEdit

  • Sajjad Lone featured in list of top 6 Indians of 2015 by Khaleej Times, UAE.[16][17]

ReferencesEdit

  1. ↑ "Lone Threat To The Big Two | Outlook India Magazine". www.outlookindia.com/.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "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. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  4. ↑ "Sibling rivalry: Farooq, Lone face stiff opposition from sisters | India News - Times of India". The Times of India.
  5. ↑ "Shabnam Lone". www.outlookindia.com/.
  6. ↑ "The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News". www.tribuneindia.com.
  7. ↑ "A Marriage Of Convenience | Outlook India Magazine". www.outlookindia.com/.
  8. ↑ "Big guns gather for Lone son's wedding". www.rediff.com.
  9. ↑ "Sajjad Lone's passport application in limbo". Deccan Herald. 21 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "Thousands rally to remember Ghani Lone". Daily Times. Media Times. 23 May 2005. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Meet the separatist-turned-nationalist younger brother of PM Modi in J&K". ThePrint. 24 November 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  12. ↑ Blakely, Rhys (13 May 2009). "Tension in Kashmir as separatist leader Sajjad Lone stands in election ". Times Online. Times Newspapers. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  13. ↑ "Sajjad's switchover". 25 April 2009 – via www.thehindu.com.
  14. ↑ "NC-Cong alliance sweeps J-K, Sajjad Lone defeated". The Hindu. 16 May 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  15. ↑ "Election Results: Sajjad Lone, Former Separatist With Pakistani Wife, Wins in Kashmir". NDTV.com.
  16. ↑ Shaban, Sadiq. "Khaleej Times profiles six Indians who have recently made a mark in their respective fields". Khaleej Times.
  17. ↑ Umer Maqbool (15 August 2015). "Sajjad Lone among top 6 Indians". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015.
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