The Governor also made it clear that no dialogue with Kashmiri separatists possible until and unless they kept Pakistan aside.
J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday rebuffed former Chief Ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah for advocating talks with Pakistan and asserted that there would be no talks with Kashmiri terrorists until and unless they kept Pakistan aside.
Coming down heavily on Hurriyat Conference, Malik was quoted as saying, “Hurriyat does not even go to toilet without asking Pakistan.” So, till the time they don’t keep Pakistan aside, there will not be any dialogue process with them, he said, adding that he will make the atmosphere in the state conducive for dialogue, but has no mandate to start any process with terrorists.
Malik has been very critical of the mainstream political parties, especially National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), for boycotting the urban local body and panchayat elections. He tried his best to persuade them, but they refused to take part in what they described as “farce” elections. Malik has been a strong advocate of the Centre holding all the elections in the state without waiting for these two parties to participate.
In a recent meeting, PDP leader Mufti reportedly told him that all the exercises being undertaken by the Raj Bhavan and the Centre in the state are a waste of time and energy unless there is serious dialogue with Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir dispute. Malik reportedly visited her residence later where she again told him to plead with New Delhi for a dialogue with Pakistan.
Malik has done a lot of plain-speaking in Kashmir. On the question of recent civilian killings in Kulgam, he said that it was “carelessness” on the part of the security forces and the police and the incident could have been avoided. However, he evaded the question about any probe into the incident and fixing of responsibility.
He has appealed to people not to visit encounter sites after the security forces mop up the operation. Admitting that there is a negative perception about Kashmir in the rest of the country, he urged the tour operators, who have come for FAM-2018, to reverse this perception.
Malik blamed all successive governments in New Delhi for the present alienation among the people of Kashmir. He is the first Governor to admit that there is anger against all including New Delhi among the youth of Kashmir and has promised to reverse this trend.