Srinagar: Facing blistering criticism over his asking separatist militants to kill corrupt politicians and bureaucrats instead of police officials, Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik said on Monday that he had made the statement in a fit of anger and frustration due to the rampant corruption in the state.
He said: “As governor, I should have not made such a comment, but my personal feeling is the same as I said. Many political leaders and big bureaucrats are steeped in corruption here.”
Mr Malik had while inaugurating a tourism festival in Kargil on Sunday said: “The boys who have picked up guns are unnecessarily killing their own people... they are killing PSOs (personal security officers) ... they are killing SPOs (special police officers). Why are you killing them? Kill those who have looted your country... those who have looted the whole wealth of Kashmir. Have you, so far, killed any of them?”
While he was quick to tell militants to shun violence and seek resolution of issues through dialogue, his asking militants to kill “corrupt” politicians and bureaucrats triggered a huge backlash in the state and beyond.
Among the first to react sharply to Mr Malik’s remarks was former chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah. He tweeted: “Save this tweet — after today any mainstream politician or serving/retired bureaucrat killed in Jammu and Kashmir has been murdered on the express orders of the governor of J&K Satyapal Malik.”
In another tweet, Mr Abdullah tore into Mr Malik and said he should introspect before pointing fingers at other politicians. He said: “This man, ostensibly a responsible man occupying a constitutional position, tells militants to kill politicians perceived to be corrupt. Perhaps the man should find out about his own reputation in Delhi these days before sanctioning unlawful killings & kangaroo courts.”
CPI(M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami accused the governor of legitimising violence. He said: “He is the constitutional head of J&K. But, unfortunately, he has made a very irresponsible statement. He is giving licence to them (militants) to kill politicians and bureaucrats on the assumption of them being corrupt. He is giving legitimacy to violence.” He added: “Mr Malik must look within himself and know what he is saying”. He asked: “What is the motive behind what he (governor) said the other day?”
The governor, reacting to Mr Abdullah’s tweets over his statement, said: “He is a political juvenile tweeting on everything, see the reaction to his tweets and you will notice that at least 90 per cent of people abuse and disagree with him. He is now used to tweeting such things.”
Accusing the NC leader of nepotism and corruption, Mr Malik said he does not have the family backing and money that Mr Abdullah has. “He is a kid and I have always had a good feeling about him, but now he is behaving like a political juvenile. I am in politics for the last 50 years. I never had backing from my father and grandfather or the kind of money that he possesses. The days of their rule are over and they must stop thinking themselves as kings.”
Promising to unearth the corruption allegedly done by Mr Abdullah, the governor claimed the former chief minister has shares in famous hotels and owns houses in New Delhi, London and Dubai.
Reacting to Mr Abdullah’s comment that he should “find out about his own reputation in Delhi these days before sanctioning unlawful killings and kangaroo courts”, the governor said he (Mr Abdullah) should visit the capital to see his (Mr Malik’s) reputation in the eyes of the people. He said: “It is because of my reputation in Delhi that I am the governor and you are what you are because of yours.”
The governor has pledged that his administration will not spare anyone who indulged in corrupt practices. As it evoked big applause from the audience, Mr Malik said: “There are several big fishes there. Don’t clap and cheer now, but do it when I catch two or three of them who have also been ministers in the coming months.”
