Didn’t act on BJP headquarters’ instructions, says J-K governor on dissolving assembly | Latest News India - Hindustan Times
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Didn’t act on BJP headquarters’ instructions, says J-K governor on dissolving assembly

Hindustan Times, Jammu | By
Nov 22, 2018 09:07 PM IST

Such a government could have also reversed the gains against militancy made by security forces in the state, Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik said.

A day after dissolving the Jammu and Kashmir assembly amid a political row, governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday said had he allowed the PDP, NC and Congress to form a government, it would have been an “opportunistic” regime. Such a government could have also reversed the gains against militancy made by security forces in the state, he said.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik today justified his decision to dissolve the state assembly despite the PDP, Congress and the National Conference staking claim to form the government (File Photo)(PTI)
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik today justified his decision to dissolve the state assembly despite the PDP, Congress and the National Conference staking claim to form the government (File Photo)(PTI)

Malik also said that he deliberately chose the auspicious day of Eid-ul-Milad to dissolve the assembly.

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Addressing media persons here, he said, “My views are same as released late last night in a detailed statement. I have been saying since very beginning when I assumed the governor’s office in August that I won’t allow unethical practices or underhand dealings by any of the parties to form a government in the state. I wanted to have an elected government in the state”.

The governor, however, said that for the past few days, he had been getting reports of attempts of horse-trading on large scale.

“MLAs were being intimidated and many other underhand dealings were on. (Former chief minister) Mehbooba Mufti, a week ago, had herself said that her MLAs were being intimidated in the name of NIA (National Investigation Agency) while others said that big money was being offered to them.

“Since attempts of horse-trading started around 20 days back and had I given opportunity to any of the parties, it would have severely damaged the political value system in Jammu and Kashmir,” Malik added.

Noting how the four-phase local body polls were peaceful and so were two phases of panchayat polls, he said: “Democracy is being strengthened and we are taking it to grass root level. People are participating in large numbers and they are part of development process.”

“Therefore, such an attempt at this stage for government formation was by those forces, who were boycotting elections, didn’t want them and tried to scuttle them,” he said in a reference to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC).

He also said that security situation was normalizing, as was evident from the fact that only one or two youth joined militant ranks in the last 50 days.

“Stone pelting is almost over and the security forces have gunned down nearly 60 terrorists. Had we allowed them (PDP, NC and Congress), we would have altered this situation. If such a government had come up, it would have been an opportunistic government. They would have fought every third day besides giving rise to many other ills. It was my responsibility to take a decision and I acted in the interests of the state. I had no personal interest and I was not partial to anyone either,” Malik said.

Holding that both the sides (the PDP-NC-Congress alliance and the third front of People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone) were claiming a majority, Malik said, “But no one approached me, no one handed me any list and they didn’t give any evidence to me.

“No MLAs were paraded before me. Therefore, I didn’t entertain any of the two groups, who were staking claim. I acted under powers vested in me in the state constitution. They had five months, what were they doing then?” he said.

“There was no need to look up to Delhi, approach parliament, or the president. I had the powers under the constitution,” he added.

Dismissing the charge of murder of democracy being levelled against him by the PDP and the NC, he said that both parties had themselves been demanding it for the past few months.

Asked why his fax machine was not working on Wednesday, he said, “Fax was no issue. Both of them (PDP chief Mehbooba and NC’s Omar Abdullah) are devout Muslims and they should know that on Eid, offices are closed. They are now misleading all.”

“Yesterday, I had no chef in my kitchen and no staff at the fax machine. And, even if the fax had come to me, I would have had taken the same decision,” he added.

To PDP’s accusations that he acted on the instructions of BJP headquarters, he said, “They know what BJP headquarters wanted. BJP already had a candidate (Sajad Lone. Had I followed the BJP instructions, then I would have allowed their candidate to stake claim. I didn’t hear any of them. I did what was right under state’s constitution”.

Asked to comment on the grand alliance of PDP, NC and Congress allegedly taking shape on directions of Pakistan, he said, “I won’t comment without any evidence but this grand alliance was opportunistic. There was no consensus among them. One party even said that it had made no formal decision... There was nothing.”

He said that now Election Commission will take the call on fresh assembly elections and his job was to carry forward developmental works in the state.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    A principal correspondent, Ravi Krishnan Khajuria is the bureau chief at Jammu. He covers politics, defence, crime, health and civic issues for Jammu city.

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