Former separatist leader Bilal Ghani Lone has appealed to Kashmiris to accept India as a strong nation and make it in it, terming the Hurriyat Conference irrelevant. Bilal, who is the son of Abdul Gani Lone, the founder of the Hurriyat Conference, said the Hurriyat has now become “passive” and failed to resolve the issues of Kashmir. He also accused Pakistan of spreading unrest in Kashmir. The statement was made on 19 July 2025, which reflects his decision to enter the mainstream politics.
Bilal asked the new generation to leave violence and focus on areas like education and health. He said, “We have to see India as a powerful country and make our place in it.” He described the violence as disastrous for the Kashmiris and emphasized co-existence. Bilal condemned the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, saying that terrorists do not represent the Kashmiris. He described the terrorists as “neither our messengers, nor prophets” and demanded strict action against them.
This change of Bilal began in 2022, when he decided to leave the Hurriyat and enter the mainstream politics. He was part of the Hurriyat’s delegation in 2004, who, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Was met Advani. His brother Sajjad Lone has already joined the mainstream and is the president of the People’s Conference. Bilal says that Kashmiris have accepted the democratic structure of India and now they do not support extremist ideas.
He also emphasized the return of Kashmiri Pandits and Hindu-Muslim unity, so that there can be peace and development in Kashmir. This step of Bilal can bring a big change in the politics of Kashmir, as the effect of Hurriyat is decreasing and many former separatists are now joining the mainstream. He appealed to the Kashmiris to demand the right to live with respect and demand punishment for those who spread violence.
