Satya Pal Malik, former J&K Governor, vocal Modi government critic, dies at 79
Ex-Governor who alleged Pulwama security lapses, bribe offers in office passes away after illness
New Delhi: Satya Pal Malik, the former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir who oversaw the abrogation of Article 370 and later became a prominent critic of the central government, passed away on Tuesday after a prolonged illness. He was 79.
Malik's tenure as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, from August 2018 to October 2019, was one of the most consequential in the region's history. He was at the helm when the Centre revoked the state's special status under Article 370 and bifurcated it into two union territories.
Following his gubernatorial roles, which also included stints in Bihar, Goa, and Meghalaya, Malik became increasingly outspoken. He gained significant attention for his sharp criticism of the government on various issues, most notably on the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. Malik alleged major security and intelligence lapses had led to the attack, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, and claimed his request for aircraft for the jawans was denied by the Home Ministry.
Furthermore, he repeatedly levelled serious allegations of corruption, claiming he was offered substantial bribes to clear files related to business tycoons during his time as the J&K Governor.
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Niqab incident: Nitish Kumar perhaps revealing his true colours, says J-K CM
Srinagar (PTI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday criticised his Bihar counterpart over the niqab incident and said that Nitish Kumar might be slowly revealing his true nature.
"Nitish Kumar, who was once considered a secular leader, may be slowly showing his true colours," Abdullah told reporters here on the sidelines of a function.
Abdullah said Kumar removing the face veil of a Muslim woman doctor was wrong and cannot be justified by any means.
"We have seen this kind of incident here several years ago. Have you forgotten how Mehbooba Mufti removed the burqa of a legitimate voter inside a polling station? That act was wrong, and this act (of Kumar) is also wrong.
"If the (Bihar) chief minister did not want to hand over the order to her (Muslim woman), they could have kept her aside. However, to humiliate her like this is totally wrong," the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.
Kumar stirred a huge controversy after he removed the face veil of a Muslim woman at a function earlier this week.
