New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik‘s allegations against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over the 2019 Pulwama attack have caused a stir in political circles.
Malik claimed in an interview with The Wire that the 2019 Pulwama terrorist attack, in which 40 soldiers were killed, could have been averted if not for the government’s “negligence and incompetence”.
Malik revealed that the Union defence ministry, then under Rajnath Singh, had refused permission to allot five aircraft to transport the CRPF jawans from Jammu to Srinagar, a move that could have saved the lives of the soldiers.
He further alleged that PM Modi and national security advisor Ajit Doval had asked him not to publicize “intelligence failures” or the government’s “incompetence” in the Pulwama attack.
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Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, and Supriya Shrinate demanded that Modi should break his silence on the issue, while Ramesh alleged that the Modi government’s principle is “minimum governance, maximum silence”.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said the government must respond to Malik’s claims.
Malik, who oversaw the dissolution of Article 370 during his tenure, said he was subsequently threatened with being boycotted if he spoke on the subject.
He turned into a critic of the Centre after he was shifted from J&K as governor of Meghalaya and the CBI started probing his claim that he was offered a bribe for clearing two files. He had asked the PM to concede the demands of farm protesters while still serving as governor.
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This is the first time that Malik, whose term as governor ended on October 3, 2022, has made such claims regarding the Pulwama attack that happened in February 2019.
The Congress party has trained its guns on the PM, asking him to respond to Malik’s allegations.
The controversy has raised concerns over the government’s handling of the Pulwama attack and its aftermath.