I’ve no political agenda: J&K governor
JAMMU:Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday said that he has no political agenda to pursue in the restive state.
“I am not here to make political parties happy. Having said that, I have good relations with all of them,” Malik said at a press briefing organised here on the occasion of his five months in office. He took over as the governor on August 21.
Recently, former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had accused the governor of encroaching upon the political space.
“I am here to give an impetus to the development works and address genuine grievances of people. I am working well within the ambit of the state constitution,” he added.
Malik said the work done in state is not shown to the outside world and the Valley is demonised for every small incident.
Malik said that the successful conduct of local body and panchayat elections failed to get the required media attention.
“Kashmir has been plagued with corruption. I am not defaming Kashmir but those indulging in corruption are. An ordinary boy who plies a mule on Amarnath route doesn’t have a sweater but those in power, be it in administration, politics or business are living better than Mughal emperor Jahangir,” he said.
“Had the funds been properly utilised , Kashmir would have been of gold today,” he added.
Malik said the situation in the state has marked an improvement and is near normal. “...interestingly I might be the first governor who jumped his protocol and had tea with both of them (former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti),” he told reporters. He said his administration was focused on the eradication of corruption and had set up an anti-corruption bureau.
GUV WILL BE JUDGED ON HOW QUICKLY POLLS ARE HELD: OMAR
Former J&K CM and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that governor Satya Pal Malik will be judged on how quickly assembly elections are held in the state and a delay would reflect his failure.
Abdullah was reacting on a full page advertisement issued by the J&K government crediting the governor for successfully holding panchayat and local body polls in the state and on other issues including addressing Ladakh’s developmental aspirations.