A judge-turned-MLA from Jammu’s Pir Panjal region, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, has opposed the demand for a separate Jammu state, favouring “azadi” from Jammu if the division is granted statehood.

Khan, who won the 2024 Assembly elections from Thanamandi constituency of Pir Panjal, has brought in a new element in the raging controversy over Jammu’s demand for a National Law University (NLU).

The controversy erupted after chief minister Omar Abdullah said the university is proposed to be set up in Kashmir. Sections of people in Jammu also favour a separate state. The demand for the NLU has exposed Jammu’s own fault lines, with residents of its Muslim-majority Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley seeking the university in their own backyard. While Hindus are 66 per cent of the population in the Jammu division, the two Muslim-majority sub-regions account for six of its 10 districts and make up about two-thirds of the division by area.

Chenab Valley includes Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts, while Pir Panjal includes Rajouri and Poonch districts. Reasi district, too, is seen as part of the larger Pir Panjal range. The six districts are spread over two-thirds of Jammu. The demand for the NLU has been raised by Hammu’s Hindu-majority “Dogra heartland” — consisting of the districts of Jammu, Udhampur, Samba and Kathua.

Khan, an Independent MLA, told reporters that he believes Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are one unit, favouring the restoration of the erstwhile state. “So far as Ladakh is concerned, they have their own choice. If Jammu wants a state, Rajouri and Poonch also deserve a state. I will lead that demand. We will seek our own state. Poonch was in fact the oldest, most historical state of Jammu and Kashmir (region),” he said.

“Why can’t Rajouri and Poonch be a separate state? If two or three districts of Jammu can become a state, Rajouri and Poonch also have a right,” he added.

Poonch was a feudatory state under the erstwhile Dogra rulers. The region witnessed a massive uprising in 1947, which many believe escalated into the war, leading to Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India. Part of Poonch is part of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.

Khan said he knew what he said sounded “ridiculous”, but if “three districts” could have a state, so did they. “We can’t stay in Jammu. Jammu people are saying there is discrimination against Jammu. The real discrimination is against Rajouri Poonch. Kashmiri people don’t see us as their own part, Jammu people never acknowledged us. They have medical colleges, IIM, IIT, and AIIMS. When did you acknowledge us?”

The Thanamandi MLA, however, reiterated that his demand for statehood centred on the supposition that Jammu is given a separate state. He reiterated that they do not want Jammu and Kashmir to be divided further.