Former J&K governor Satyapal Malik who spoke out for farmers dies
Former Jammu & Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik, accused of bribery, passed away at 79. He was a controversial figure in Indian politics and served multiple states.
In late May, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a charge sheet against 79-year-old Satyapal Malik, accusing the former Jammu & Kashmir governor of receiving bribes for awarding a ₹2,200 crore contract to build a hydro-electric project in Kishtwar. Ironically, the case first came to light after Malik went public about offers of bribery to the governor’s office in October, 2021. Three years later, the whistleblower became an accused, one of the many dramatic transitions and controversies that became a recurring theme in the last years of the veteran politician’s life.
Malik died at 1.12pm on Tuesday in Delhi after a prolonged illness. Coincidentally, the day also marked the anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 that granted special status to J&K, a fateful event Malik oversaw as the last governor of the state, serving from August, 2018 to October, 2019. And, the self-declared disciple of socialist leader and freedom fighter Ram Manohar Lohia, died at a hospital named after his idol.
“When he first fell ill in February 2024, CBI raided him, and when was again admitted on May 11 this year, CBI charge sheeted him. It started with a urinary tract infection and then impacted his kidneys, his heart, and then other organs,” said KS Rana, Malik’s aide since 1980. Rana was named as a co-accused in the charge sheet with CBI alleging that Malik routed the bribe money through him and another associate.
When Malik had fallen ill, it was Rana who took on the responsibility to post updates on his health from the veteran leader’s social media account. On the day the CBI charge sheet came in, his aides posted a photo of the ailing leader in his hospital bed, one which he never left.
“Many opposition leaders came to see him in hospital but no one from the BJP,’’ said Rana, a claim hardly surprising owing to Malik’s political stance on issues such as the farm laws passed in 2020. He had also later blamed the BJP government for security lapses leading to the Pulwama attack in 2019, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. This criticism came long after the incident in 2023. He also served as the governor of Bihar (2017), Goa (2019), and Meghalaya (2020). He was also given the additional charge to serve as the governor of Odisha for a brief period as additional charge.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences. “Saddened by the passing away of Shri Satyapal Malik Ji. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this hour of grief. Om Shanti,’’ he posted on X.
Malik was born on July 24, 1946 in Hisawada village, Baghpat. He began his political career while still residing in Hisawda, contesting and winning the Baghpat assembly seat in Uttar Pradesh as a Lok Dal candidate.
In his 60-year-long career that spanned various political parties, Malik achieved his most high profile roles as a leader of the BJP , a party he joined in 2004 while again contesting the Baghpat seat. He was part of the Congress and the Janata Dal besides Charan Singh’s party, becoming a general secretary of the then newly formed Lok Dal in 1975. He was viewed as a champion of farmers’ interests over his political career.
“He really struggled a lot,’’ said Charan Singh’s grandson and Union minister Jayant Chaudhary. “He worked both with Chaudhary Charan Singh and Chaudhary Ajit Singh and was associated with Baghpat till he became governor. Personally, he was very affectionate towards me.”
During the time he was hospitalised, some Opposition leaders had visited him at the RML hospital.
Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi posted,” I am deeply saddened to hear the news of the passing of former Governor Satyapal Malik ji. I will always remember him as a person who, until his last moment, fearlessly spoke the truth and advocated for the interests of the people.”
In 2023, Gandhi hosted a conversation with Malik in which the latter echoed the Opposition’s sentiments on sundry issues.
But, even before this public falling out with the government, Malik was a controversial figure, especially for his stint at Srinagar’s Raj Bhawan. In 2018, when he dissolved the state assembly, he blamed a broken fax machine for ignoring People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti’s claim to form a government along with the National Conference (NC).
Responding to the backlash that followed, Malik then claimed that the governor’s office was unmanned because of Eid. The Opposition wasn’t amused, as the dissolution was just minutes after Mufti had posted on X (then Twitter) about her intention. In his order, Malik had cited the possibility of horse-trading and state security to justify his decision.
Malik had also courted controversy earlier that year for declaring in an interview to this writer the winner of the Srinagar mayoral elections before it took place, eliciting sharp reactions from leaders like Omar Abdullah who asked how Malik was privy to this information.
He also upset Opposition leaders, including Abdullah and Mufti, by being dismissive about their treatment and months-long house arrest during the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Malik had said, “I have gone to jail 30 times, whoever goes to jail will come out shining as a future leader. They can take political benefit of detentions in future. Don’t you want new political leaders to emerge in Kashmir?”
Unsurprisingly, when Malik fell out with the BJP’s top brass and faced a CBI case and raids, Kashmir’s leaders showed little sympathy.
Malik’s cremation is scheduled for Wednesday at the Lodhi crematorium in Delhi.
