Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday said he may face transfer, a day after his remarks that he stalled the Centre’s move to instal People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone as Chief Minister of the State evoked sharp reactions from many quarters.
“I don’t know when I will be transferred from here. I will not lose my job, but the threat of transfer is there. As long as I’m here, I assure you people that whenever you call me, I will come here to pay my tributes,” said Mr. Malik, addressing a function to mark the death anniversary of Congress leader Girdhari Lal Dogra in Jammu.
Mr. Malik found himself in a tight spot after he remarked in Gwalior on Tuesday that “if he had looked towards Delhi, he would have been forced to invite Mr. Lone to form the government”.
Later, a Raj Bhavan spokesman clarified that he “acted in an objective and impartial manner”. “There was no pressure or any kind of intervention from the Centre in the entire matter,” said the spokesman.
His remarks provided both the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party a chance to take a swipe at the BJP and the Central government.
“My compliments to Governor Malik for not looking to Delhi and for not taking their instructions, thereby stopping the installation of a government of the BJP and its proxies formed by horse trading, defections and use of money,” said NC vice-president Omar Abdullah.
Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said: “Leaving aside the fax machine fiasco, good to see that Governor Sahib refused to take dictation from Delhi, rather opted for dissolution of the Assembly. This could be unprecedented, given the story of democracy in the State.”
Lone takes umbrage
However, Mr. Lone took umbrage at the Governor’s remarks.
“There has been a misrepresentation of facts and gross distortion, especially by the Governor. I was the first one to talk to him on phone and tell him that I want to stake a claim for government formation. The Governor asked me to send a fax. Thereafter, for three hours we tried unsuccessfully to send a fax to Raj Bhavan,” said Mr. Lone
He said the Governor’s secretary, who had earlier put him through to the Governor, “would not take the call”.
“My forefathers have lived here, my father lived and sacrificed his life here. I am living here and will live in this society and so will my children. The facts needed to be put on record and it is for others to uphold the truth,” he added.
