Bilal Lone joined the Hurriyat Conference after his father, separatist leader Abdul Ghani Lone, was assassinated in Srinagar on May 21, 2002. His younger, more prominent brother, Sajjad Lone, became chairman of their father’s party, the Peoples Conference. From being an influential voice of the separatist cause, Sajjad later entered mainstream politics.
After their father’s assassination, relations soured between the brothers. An indicator was the increase in the height of the fence that separated their houses in Srinagar’s posh Sanat Nagar locality. The ice has since thawed. In January, Bilal changed the name of his faction in the Hurriyat Conference to Peoples Independent Movement. In an exclusive interview with THE WEEK, Bilal explains his position on the separatist movement in Kashmir.
After the Pulwama attack, the government withdrew your security. Do you feel insecure?
Not at all. Neither I nor my colleagues in the Hurriyat Conference had asked for security in the first place.
Why were you then given security?
When my father was killed, the government felt there was threat to my life and gave me security.
After your father’s assassination, relations soured between you and your brother. How did they improve?
Things were very bad. Then, one night, I heard someone wailing from across the fence, and my wife sensed something was wrong. Sajjad was not at home and I forced my way into his house. Sajjad’s son was unconscious and I took him to hospital. After that, I wondered why I should force my decisions onto Sajjad. Politics needn’t enter every sphere of life.
What is the future of separatist politics in Kashmir?
Separatist politics will exist as long as the current sentiment exists. In Kashmir, it’s the people who take the lead, not the leaders. As another generation gets consumed by conflict, I will rally behind anyone who can mitigate our sufferings. I feel helpless seeing children getting killed. I always tell my colleagues: ‘Someone save these kids, please!’
Many people believe Hurriyat Conference survives on the politics of blood.
Such feelings exist. It is a movement driven by the people. At times, the situation gets out of hand. Aren’t the armchair radicals on social media, who sit in their cosy homes, exploiting this blood? Why don’t they take up guns themselves? Social media is being misused. I want the new generation to survive, and see the fruit of this investment of blood in tehreek [movement].
What is the solution to the Kashmir issue?
You will say that Bilal Lone is a mad man, but in the long run there are only two options; either you go through a process to solve the issue, or go for a full-fledged war. My option for the liberation of Kashmir is a full-fledged war. My colleagues laugh at me; you will also laugh at me. But when you analyse things from the position I have been in, there is no option other than war. You may think I am a warmonger. War will annihilate us, but there will be no confusion for the next generation. Those pointing fingers at the Hurriyat Conference must understand that everybody has contributed to this mess. Today, the Kashmir problem has been reduced to human rights violations. If the rights violations cease, will the problem end? That’s why I say war is the only solution.