PM told me ‘chup raho’ on Pulwama, says ex-J&K Gov Malik; Cong calls for answers

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New Delhi, April 16, 2023: Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has claimed that after the February 14, 2019, Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to stay silent over some alleged lapses he flagged.

The Congress, which had made the February 2019 Pulwama terror attack one of its key national security issues in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections that year, urged the Government Saturday to respond to the questions that Malik’s remarks had raised.

In an interview Friday to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Malik, Governor of  J&K from August 2018 to October 2019, claimed that the Home Ministry refused to provide five aircraft requisitioned by the CRPF to ferry its personnel which resulted in a large number of security personnel moving by road in a convoy and becoming the target of a deadly terrorist ambush.

“CRPF people (had) asked for aircraft to ferry their people because such a large convoy generally doesn’t travel by road,” Malik said, adding the request was made to the Home Ministry but “they refused to give”.

The Indian Express reached out to CRPF DG SL Thaosen who was unavailable for comment. Emails to the DG and ADG (Operations) went unanswered.

“Had they asked me, I would have given them the aircraft. Kaise bi deta. They wanted five aircraft. It was not provided…,” Malik said.

“I told (this) to the Prime Minister the same evening…ki yeh hamari galti se hua hai. Agar hum aircraft de deta toh yeh nahin hota. Unhone mujhe kaha ki tum ab chup raho.” (I told him that this happened because of our mistake. Had we provided aircraft this would not have happened. He told me to stay silent).

“I told him that it was our mistake and I had already told this to couple of channels…he said don’t say all this…yeh koi aur cheez hai….woh hume bolne do.”

Malik said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, too, had told him to keep quiet. He said “yeh mat boliye, aap chup rahiye.” He is my “class fellow…he can tell me anything…he said Satpal bhai yeh mat kaho.”

“I can share with you that I had sensed that the entire onus was being put on Pakistan so I have to keep quiet,” he said.

“I remember he (PM) was in the national Corbett park…He was shooting…There was no phone facility there…after getting out from there he called me from a dhaba…asked me Satpal what happened. I said this has happened…I am distraught…yeh sirf hamari galti se hua…agar hum aircraft de dete toh yeh nahin hota.. Toh unhone kaha ki chup rahiye aap.”

This isn’t the first time Malik had alleged lapses. In an interview to The Indian Express on February 15, a day after the attack, he had said that the attack was partly the result of an intelligence failure, especially due to the fact that security forces could not detect the loading and movement of the explosive-laden Scorpio. “We cannot accept that (intelligence failure). We could not detect or check the vehicle full of explosives moving on the highway. We must accept that we are at fault also,” he had said.

When asked by The Indian Express Saturday if he had any evidence to back his claims, Malik said Saturday: “I was the head of the state. I was aware of what was happening and everybody knew about what happened…Such things do not happen with written notes.”Asked if someone from the government had contacted him, Malik said: “No one has contacted me so far (after the interview). I am ready to talk to them…I have spoken the truth and it is in the interest of the nation and the government.”

Citing Malik’s remarks, the Congress questioned the Government. The main Opposition party had raised the issue of security and intelligence failure in a big way after the Pulwama attack but the February 26 Balakot airstrike eclipsed this line of attack and reshaped the political narrative.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters Saturday, the party asked several questions of the Government.

“Why were the CRPF men not allowed to travel by air, why did the Modi government not give permission for the same? Why were Jaish threats ignored? Why were the intelligence inputs, between 2 January, 2019 and 13 February, 2019, which had warned of a terrorist attack ignored? How did the militants procure such a huge stash of RDX? After a period of over four years, where has the inquiry in the Pulwama terror attack reached?” the Congress asked at a press conference addressed by the party’s communication head Jairam Ramesh, media department chairman Pawan Khera and digital communication head Supriya Shrinate.

“What were the responsibilities fixed for NSA Ajit Doval and the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh? After such a big terror attack, why was the Governor asked by Prime Minister Modi to ‘keep quiet? People distributing certificates of treason need to answer, whether this is treason or not?,” they said.

Khera said the allegations by Malik are very serious in nature since it has come from a former Governor who was “very close” to the Prime Minister.

There was no official word from the BJP with many leaders saying they would not “dignify” Malik’s “irresponsible comments.”

Calling him the “disgraced Governor of J&K,” BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya took to Twitter: “Satyapal Malik…admits to lying and making up baseless stories on what Home Minister Amit Shah had said about Prime Minister Modi… No one took him seriously even when he made these allegations back then. But it raises serious questions on his credibility.” Malviya said Malik had targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calling him “political juvenile” and had warned that “people would beat him (Gandhi) with shoes if they are told Gandhi supports Article 370, which was nullified by the BJP government.”

Shortly after abrogation of Article 370, Malik was shifted to Goa as Governor in November 2019. In August 2020, he was moved to Meghalaya. Malik had been targeting the BJP government frequently for some time. He had spoken out against the Central government over the farmers’ agitation when he was the Governor of Meghalaya.

In October, 2021, when he was Governor of Meghalaya, Malik had claimed that he was offered Rs 300 crore in bribes to clear two files including one related to an RSS leader. Based on this, the CBI registered two cases and conducted searches at 14 locations. In October 2022, Malik was questioned by CBI in connection with these two cases.

In October, 2021, when he was Governor of Meghalaya, Malik had claimed that he was offered Rs 300 crore in bribes to clear two files including one related to an RSS leader. Based on this, the CBI registered two cases and conducted searches at 14 locations. In October 2022, Malik was questioned by CBI in connection with these two cases.

Courtesy: The New Indian Express