Kill the politicians who 'looted Kashmir', Governor Malik tells terrorists
In a hugely controversial statement, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Sunday said terrorists should kill "corrupt politicians who have looted the entire wealth" rather than murdering innocent people and security personnel. After his words got ire, he issued a clarification. He said he made the comments in a fit of anger and added he was frustrated due to "rampant corruption".
In his inaugural speech at the Tourism Festival 2019 at Khree Sultan Cho Sports Stadium Kargil, Malik said the boys who have "picked up" guns kill "their own people" like PSOs (personal security officers) and SPOs (special police officers). "Why are you killing them? Kill those who have looted the wealth of Kashmir. Have you killed any of them," he asked.
Further, Malik called corruption a big disease ruining Kashmir. He said while he was visiting Amarnath, he saw that horse-men didn't wear sweaters. "But in the same Srinagar, there are officers who own 20-room houses having carpets worth crores. Those who have retired have a house each in Maharani Bagh and Vasant Kunj," he said. He then said big dynasts are living "luxuriously".
"They have infinite wealth. They have a home here, in Delhi, In Dubai, in London and other parts of the world. We try to see a big hotel in Srinagar and we come to know that these netas have stakes," Malik went on.
Malik also said politicians in J&K have a "peculiar style of communication". "In Delhi, they create a fear (about Kashmiri youth). In Srinagar, they provoke them," he said. To those who became militants, Malik said violence is never a solution. "There was an outfit called LTTE in Sri Lanka and it had support as well but it has also been finished," he said.
Naturally, Malik's statements drew a strong response. Slamming him, former CM and NC leader Omar Abdullah tweeted, "Save this tweet - after today any mainstream politician or serving/retired bureaucrat killed in J&K has been murdered on the express orders of the Governor of J&K Satyapal Malik." He also said Malik should think about his own reputation in Delhi before giving such "orders".
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. https://t.co/bsa9khBjkC
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) July 21, 2019
After landing in news owing to his words, Malik rushed to contain the damage. "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," he told ANI. Giving a reaction to Abdullah's tweets, Malik said the leader is a "political juvenile".
JK Governor, SP Malik to ANI on National Conference leader Omar Abdullah's tweet over his statement: He is a political juvenile tweeting on everything, see the reaction to his tweets and you will find out.
— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2019
