A month after its formation, in April 1982, the name of the party was questioned in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly by Chief Minister, Sheikh Abdullah who had asked "Bhim Singh you were all right as a human being. Why you chose to be an animal?" Prof. Bhim Singh had then responded that "the people of State were terrorized by a big animal, known as "Sher-e-Kashmir" "(Lion of Kashmir was Abdullah's nickname)". They needed safety and protection from that lion. It was necessary to become an animal (Panther) to resist the lion."