Jammu, February 4, 2026 : Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Sunil Sharma on Tuesday objected to referring Rajouri and Poonch as part of the Pir Panjal region, asserting that no such region exists in Jammu and Kashmir, which he described as a single and undivided entity.
Sharma’s remarks have triggered a political storm in the Legislative Assembly, with MLAs from Rajouri and Poonch staging protests after Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather adjourned the House amid chaos and sharp exchanges between the BJP and ruling alliance members.
Addressing reporters, Sharma said attempts were being made to create separate regional identities, which, according to him, challenge the historical, cultural and political unity of Jammu and Kashmir.
“There is no such region in Jammu and Kashmir. Creating new regional identities amounts to distorting history,” he said.
When asked whether he would apologise, as demanded by members of the ruling alliance, Sharma avoided a direct response and instead questioned the historical basis of the Pir Panjal nomenclature. He maintained that historical and Puranic texts should be consulted, claiming the area was earlier known as the “Chandrabhaga division.”
The BJP leader accused certain elements of attempting to “erase or alter” the original identity of the region by promoting new regional names for political reasons. He reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir was forged as one entity through the efforts of Maharaja Hari Singh, calling the present structure his enduring legacy.
Sharma further stated that if any official reorganisation or nomenclature is to be adopted, it is the government’s responsibility to do so through formal and constitutional means, not through political assertions on the floor of the House.
Criticising the projection of areas like Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley as separate regions, Sharma warned that such narratives could lead to unnecessary divisions. He also objected to ministers demanding apologies from opposition members during Assembly proceedings, saying it was the government’s duty to ensure the smooth functioning of the House.
Reiterating his stand, Sharma said some parties were acting purely in pursuit of political interests, while Jammu and Kashmir continues to remain an undivided unit.
