India, Aug. 4 -- Former Hurriyat leader Bilal Lone on Tuesday announced his entry into active politics, saying he was moving beyond his long-standing passive role to engage directly with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to reporters, Lone said his association with politics stemmed from his family's legacy but that he had remained only passively involved over the past two decades.

"I basically belong to a political family. After my father's martyrdom in those circumstances, we had to enter politics. For the last 20-25 years, I have been in passive politics. Now I am becoming a little active in politics," he said.

Lone described the decision as a natural progression rather than a major political development.

"There is no major ...