Former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik, has refuted the allegation that he only began questioning the 2019 Pulwama terror attack after leaving office. His response comes after Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently claimed that Malik was “leveling allegations after parting ways with us”. Speaking to reporters in Sikar, Rajasthan on Monday, Malik stated that he had raised concerns about the attack on the day it occurred.
In February 2019, 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in a terrorist attack on a convoy of security vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama. At the time of the attack, Malik was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He has recently alleged intelligence failures and that the central government denied aircraft for the movement of security personnel.
Malik has also denied that his recent summons by the CBI was linked to his criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government. Amit Shah had previously stated that the charge was untrue and that Malik had been summoned by the probe agency earlier as well.
In an interview with India Today, Amit Shah stated that the BJP had nothing to hide and that anyone making allegations after parting ways with the party should be evaluated accordingly by the media and the public.
When asked about the BJP’s prospects in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Malik stated that while he wished them well, no one knows what will happen in politics and elections. He also claimed that Prime Minister Modi’s silence on the Adani issue would harm him and suggested that he should also speak on the Pulwama issue.
Regarding the upcoming assembly elections in Rajasthan, Malik suggested that if the BJP projects Vasundhara Raje as its chief ministerial candidate, its chances of victory will increase. He also stated that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is a “serious candidate” for the post of prime minister and that “if it is in his destiny, he will become one”.
