Congress seeks answers on former Governor’s claim on Pulwama attack
New Delhi, April 15
Former J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik on Saturday triggered a fresh political row with the Congress citing his allegations in respect of events leading to the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019 to demand answers from the government and the ruling BJP advising the opposition party “not to get all excited”.
Reacting to Malik’s accusations – made in a video interview to a news portal – regarding the Home Ministry’s denial of air travel to CRPF personnel in early 2019, the Congress asked the government why CRPF personnel were not allowed to travel by air if the threat perception emanating from the Jaish-e-Mohammad existed at the time.
Malik’s allegations
Oct 2021: Says he was offered Rs 300-cr bribe for clearing two files related to Ambani when he was J&K Governor. RSS leader Ram Madhav has sent a defamation notice to him.
April 2022: CBI lodges two FIRs regarding a health insurance scheme for employees and civil work worth Rs 2,200 crore related to Kiru power project.
Sept 2022: Malik claims People’s Conference leader Sajjad Lone wanted to form government with six members. Lone has denied the claim.
While the Congress flagged Malik’s latest remarks – “Rahul Gandhi has raised the right question on the Adani scam” – BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya tweeted an old video where the former Governor is heard making disparaging remarks about Rahul. “Rahul has behaved like a political juvenile…”
Referring to Malik’s latest interview remarks — “I can safely say the PM does not hate corruption very much,” AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh and Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Supriya Shrinate stated, “In August 2020, Satya Pal Malik was removed as Governor of Goa and sent to Meghalaya after he brought to the PM’s notice several cases of corruption.” The Congress held a press conference to flag Malik’s assertion that “CRPF sought an aircraft for its men but was denied.”
“He (Malik) pointed out how the sanitisation of the route was not done effectively. Malik said he raised it with Modi, but was asked to keep quiet. Malik also said NSA Ajit Doval also told him not to talk about it. Malik said he immediately realised there was electoral advantage to be gained for the BJP,” Congress leaders stated.
“Why were Jaish threats ignored? How did militants procure such a huge stash of RDX? After over four years, what’s the status of the inquiry?” they questioned. Forty CRPF men were killed in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019.
The MHA and the BJP did not react to allegations. Malik’s last gubernatorial posting in Meghalaya ended on October 3, 2022.
