Panjim : Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik backed the farmers’ protest, spoke about the J&K files, said there was corruption in the Goa government and hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would take action. Satya Pal Malik was also the Governor of Goa and Jammu and Kashmir.
ON GOA
In an interview with India Today, he said that BJP government had mishandled the situation of COVID in Goa. He was removed with the allegation of corruption against the Goa government. He said, “I stand by my comments on the BJP government’s mishandling of Covid in Goa. There was corruption in everything the Goa government did. I was removed for my allegation of corruption against the Goa government. I am a Lohiaite; I have spent time with Charan Singh; I can’t tolerate corruption. The Goa government’s plan of door-to-door distribution of ration was impractical. It was done on the insistence of a company that paid money to the government. I was asked by people, including those from the Congress to investigate. I probed the matter and informed the Prime Minister about it. They asked the same people who were behind the plan about the allegation. They won’t accept that they are in the wrong. There is an area near the airport from where trucks were used for mining pass. I asked the government to stop them in view of Covid. The government didn’t and then it became a hotspot for Covid. Today, people are scared to speak the truth in the country. I say what I feel. I did not create a ruckus in Goa. I counseled the CM, even supported him. He said it out of nowhere that we will construct a new Governor’s house in place of the existing one. It is a functioning heritage property; there is no need to demolish it. The situation made me say it publicly that it is not required. This was proposed that when the government was under incredible financial duress, it shouldn’t be done.”
ON THE FARMER’S AGITIATION
He supports farmers. He said that he is from a farming background too, and feels their struggles. He advises the government that if they have issue with him he is ready to give up on his post. He said, “
Farmers’ protest is completely justified. I have learned it from Charan Singh and Lohia never to compromise on the interests of your community. I was born among farmers. I have seen and felt their struggles. When Modi ji was CM, he also had this view on MSP. Farmers’ demands aren’t unjustified at all. They have been protesting at Delhi’s borders for almost a year. 600 of them have died. You send condolences even over a dog’s death, but are not taking note of them [dying farmers]. This is injustice.
I’m not challenging the government. I’m only advising. If the government has a problem with me speaking up, I will leave my post. The government must assure that they won’t let situations of distress sale arise. There has been no violence in the farmers’ movement. The Red Fort violence was caused by people not associated with the movement. People belonging to the farmers’ agitation had nothing to do with the violence.
Nihangs were behind the recent lynching incident. It’s surprising that farmers have remained non-violent for so long, despite being ignored by the government. If the farmers are unhappy with the laws, change it, modify it. What’s the problem?”
ON SCOPE OF AGITIATION
He said, “Farmers’ agitation is a nationwide movement, active even in the North-East. The government is being given wrong advice; they shouldn’t ignore the protest. It’s my assessment that if demands of farmers are not met, we will lose Haryana, Punjab, Western UP, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. I have raised the issue in all forums available to me. The Agriculture minister can’t solve this; the Prime Minister and the Home Minister must intervene. I have told both of them to do something about it or we’ll lose out on a lot. They were sympathetic but I think they are being misguided by bureaucrats. People who don’t know agriculture are saying that these laws would bring reforms. Narendra Modi understands agriculture, he was a pro-farmer force during his stint as Gujarat CM. He raised the issue of MSP when he was the CM. I think the government should lose its dogmatic approach. If the PM shows softness, it would elevate his stature. Only MSP is the holdup point, the entire matter can be resolved within 10 days.”
ON J&K FILES
Everybody is getting free insurance at J&K. He said, “I was told that there is a possibility of me getting Rs 300 crore for clearing those two files. I shared it with the Prime Minister; he said no compromise on corruption. I cancelled both the deals. Now everybody is getting free insurance in J&K.”
He said that PM Modi is against corruption, but still PM can be misguided. The difference between the politics of the 70s-80s-90s era and today is it is not worth doing anymore. At that time, politics was a mission. Being in politics in those days was a matter of pride in society. For him that feeling doesn’t exists today. Politics has become business today. There is no immediate solution to the state of politics today, change would come over time.
He still hopes from Narendra Modi that he will act against corruption.
As an independent media platform, we do not take advertisements from governments and corporate houses. It is you, our readers, who have supported us on our journey to do honest and unbiased journalism. Please contribute, so that we can continue to do the same in future.
