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Regional Tug-of-War: NLU Row Sparks Calls for ‘Amicable Divorce’
SRINAGAR/JAMMU: The political atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir has turned volatile following a fierce dispute over the location of the proposed National Law University (NLU). What began as a debate over academic infrastructure has escalated into a major regional crisis, with top leaders now questioning the very administrative unity of the two divisions.
The Flashpoint: Budgam vs. Jammu
The controversy was triggered when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced that the NLU would begin operations from an interim campus in Budgam (Ompora), Kashmir, by April 2026. This move faced immediate backlash from the BJP and the Jammu High Court Bar Association, who demand that the prestigious institution be established in Jammu.
BJP leaders argue that Jammu provides better connectivity and a more stable security environment, while the CM maintains that Jammu already hosts national institutions like IIT and IIM.
— Sajad Lone, Peoples Conference President
Sajad Lone’s Bold Stand
In a historic and unprecedented statement, Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone called for an “amicable divorce” between the Jammu and Kashmir divisions. He accused Jammu-based leadership of “selective courage,” alleging they remain silent on central issues but actively oppose developmental projects meant for the Valley. Lone is the first mainstream Kashmiri leader to publicly advocate for a formal separation as a solution to recurring regional friction.
Deepening Fault Lines
The NLU dispute has been further inflamed by the recent closure of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Institute of Medical Excellence (SMVDIME) in Katra. Protests erupted there after a merit-based admission list showed that 42 out of 50 selected students were from the Kashmir valley, fueling claims of regional discrimination on both sides.
As the BJP threatens mass agitations and the J&K Government stands firm on its Budgam plan, the NLU row has become a symbol of the deep-rooted regional and communal fault lines in the Union Territory.
