Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has accused the central government of reducing the security provided to him. He says that this has been done because of supporting the farmers’ movement against the three agricultural laws and opposing the Agneepath military recruitment scheme.
Satyapal Malik. (Photo: PTI)
New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik has accused the central government of reducing his security cover. He alleges that this was done because he supported the farmers’ agitation against the three agricultural laws and opposed the Agneepath military recruitment scheme.
Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, Satyapal Malik, who was the governor of Goa and Meghalaya, said in an interview that instead of Z+ security cover, a private security officer (PSO) will now be deployed for his security.
Satyapal Malik has been the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019. It was during his tenure that the Modi government at the Center abolished the special status enjoyed by the then Jammu and Kashmir state under Article 370 and divided it into two Union Territories – Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh.
According to India Today, Malik was then appointed as the 18th Governor of Goa. Apart from this, he has served as the 21st Governor of Meghalaya till October 2022.
He claimed that the security cover of NN Vohra, who served as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir from 2008 to 2018, is still intact. He said that all the governors who have retired so far are being given proper security cover.
Not only this, apart from agricultural laws, he has been very vocal against various schemes of the central government.
Talking to NDTV, he said, ‘All the governors who have retired still have security. My security has been almost completely withdrawn. The X class that has been given, there will be a PSO in it, that too is not coming for the last three days, while I am at great risk.
He said, ‘The risk is because I was there when Article 370 was removed from there (Jammu and Kashmir). Apart from this, I had dissolved the assembly. And the generals (military officers) there had told that you are in danger from Pakistan as well, there is also danger from the terrorists here.
Malik further said, ‘When I was being transferred, the advisory committee of Kashmir had written that he is in danger, he should be given a house in Delhi and given security. Now all that is over. What should I understand now?’
According to India Today, he told that he has written to the Ministry of Home Affairs in October 2022 about reducing the security cover, but he is yet to receive any specific response regarding the reason behind the move. He says that in response to his letter, the Ministry of Home Affairs only said that they are considering the matter.
The report states that while the protocol is to provide lifelong security cover to Presidents and Prime Ministers, security cover is provided to Governors and Lieutenant Governors on the basis of intelligence reports from security agencies.
Talking to NDTV, he said, ‘I wrote twice (about this) to (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah ji. Both times I wrote that the danger to me is very real, so my security should not be reduced. This letter has also been received from him.
Regarding the absence of only one private security officer (PSO) found in the security, Satyapal Malik said, ‘No one is coming for security since Holi. And tomorrow I am going to Narnaul, which is a place next to Rewari (Haryana), there is a public meeting, going there.
He further said, ‘Now it is that whoever comes and kills me, there is no problem. Killing is a different matter, but even if such an attempt is made, it will be the responsibility of the government and they will have to face the consequences.
If security is being given to other governors then why don’t you have security, Satyapal Malik said, ‘I don’t have security because I spoke on the issue of farmers. This (central government) is Allah Miyan (Almighty), thinking that no one will speak against us. I was not speaking against them, I was speaking in favor of the farmers, which they did not like. That is why the security has been removed.
He said, ‘I want to give the same message that the smallness, the feeling of revenge, end it and behave in a proper way, which any king should do. It is not necessary that I will die by removing the security, but this step will be seen by the people who are with me. If anything happens to me, I will give a befitting reply to them.
On the other hand, in relation to reducing Malik’s security, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said, ‘You will pay as you pay. He (Malik) has played with the security of many people, including myself and my senior colleagues.
What goes around comes around, whatever you do, whatever you do. He messed with a lot of people’s security, including mine & of my senior colleagues. “If something happens to me…” Former JK Guv Satya Pal Malik says his security cover downgraded https://t.co/DKI81oCKkP via @indiatoday
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) Mar 14, 2023
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Categories: Politics Special
