Current affairs

When a Governor becomes the whistleblower: How Gov Satya Pal Malik put PM Modi in trouble?

By alagu, 03 January, 2022
Narendra Modi, Satya Pal Malik, Amit Shah, Farm Bills

Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik has been the talk of the nation since his recent press meet during which he had revealed the arrogance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the farmers' protest and farm laws. In what has become a moment where a constitutional head of the state had turned a whistleblower against the head of the Indian government, Malik has drawn huge attention over his address about how the Prime Minister reacted to the deaths of farmers. 

On Sunday- January 2, Governor Satya Pal Malik had addressed a gathering in Dadri, Haryana, during which he said that when he had tried to speak to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the farm laws, the latter was very arrogant and the duo had ended up fighting. Malik's confession has cast big trouble for the Prime Minister over his handling of the farmers as the opposition parties have been castigating Modi over his response to Malik on the deaths of the farmers, who died while protesting in Delhi to repeal the three contentious farm laws. 

Malik said, "He (Modi) was very arrogant. When I told him that 500 of our own farmers had died, and even when a dog dies you send a condolence letter, he asked, 'Did they die for me?." Malik further said, "I told him yes, since you are the king. Anyway, I ended up having a fight with him. He told me to meet Amit Shah and so I did." In the video clip addressing the gathering, Malik said, "When I met Amit Shah, he told me 'Satya he has lost his mind. You be carefree and keep meeting us." "Shah told me not to worry, and told me to keep raising concerns", Malik added.  

His remark that Amit Shah saying Modi has lost his mind has stirred a fresh round of tensions. Congress MP Mallikarjun Kharge had tweeted the video of Malik's remarks and said, "Meghalaya's Governor Sri Satya Pal Malik is on record saying PM was arrogant on the issue of farmers and HM Amit Shah called the PM as 'mad'. Constitutional authorities speaking about each other with such contempt! Narendra Modiji is this true?". However, after his comments about Amit Shah's speech against the Prime Minister had stirred uproars, Malik has now issued a clarification. 

Speaking to NDTV, Malik said, "The Prime Minister was not ready to listen. He tried to dismiss my concerns and told me to meet Amit Shah. Amit Shah respects Modi Ji a lot. He told me that people misguide the Prime Minister. I was told that one day PM will understand this (the farm laws). I want to clarify that Mr Shah did not say anything about the Prime Minister with ill intent. He only told me that my concerns will be understood." Malik said, "Modi Ji had cancelled the laws when he understood the concerns. If he would have heard me earlier, the political backlash and the loss of lives could have been avoided." However, Malik hasn't issued any clarification over PM Modi's response to the farmers' death. 

Reacting to the attacks from the opposition against the Prime Minister, Malik said, "This is an internal issue. Congress should not jump into his and indulge in politics." In his address in Haryana, Malik had also brought up the cases registered against farmers during their agitation. He urged the Modi regime to withdraw the cases and said, "The government will have to work with honesty to withdraw the cases against the farmers and give a legal framework on Minimum Support Price (MSP). This is the government's responsibility." 

He said, "If the government thinks the agitation has over, it is not so. It has been only suspended. If there is injustice or if there are any excesses with farmers, then the protest will start again." Opposition MP Asaduddin Owaisi has slammed the Prime Minister for his want of praise. Owaisi said, "PM Modi got angry while meeting Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik as Malik talked about the death of over 500 farmers due to farm laws. It proves PM doesn't want to hear the truth even from a governor, let alone the public. He just wants praises." 

Malik, who served as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and Goa before getting posted to Meghalaya, has been a strong critic of the Modi regime in various issues. He had expressed his outrage against the government over the farm laws and he had even said that he was willing to relinquish his post as Governor. Last November, Malik has also criticized the Central Vista redevelopment plan, a project in which Modi has taken a personal interest. Malik said that instead of building a new Parliament building, it would be better to build a world-class college. 

 

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