Why was he quiet as J&K Governor, Shah on Satya Pal Malik’s 2019 Pulwama claims

When contacted, Malik said he had raised the issue while in power. “I respect Mr Shah and I don’t want to enter into argument with him. He may not be remembering this but I raised both issues – Pulwama and the farmers struggle – while I was in power. I had raised the Pulwama issue the same day it happened. But I was asked to keep quiet,” Malik told The Indian Express.

Shah said the BJP government had done nothing that requires to be hidden. “If anyone says something for their own political interests after separating from us, then it is something that should be evaluated by the people and the media. When you get out of power and then make allegations, then the value of those allegations must be evaluated,” Union Home Minister Shah said.

Responding to a question why was Malik called for questioning by the CBI days after making the allegations, Shah said, “It is not true (that he has been called by CBI because he criticised the government). As far as I know, this is third time he is being called. There is an investigation going on. In that whatever he has said… whatever evidence has been gathered… for that he has been called.”

Malik claimed on Friday he was summoned by the CBI in connection with a case of corruption in Jammu and Kashmir.

When asked if the government made a wrong choice in appointing Malik as governor, Shah said, “He has been with the BJP for a long time. He was national vice president of the party under Rajnath Singh even before I came to national politics. He has been in my team as well. It happens… there was a selection done… if someone changes from time to time, what can one do?”

Malik recently claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to stay silent over some alleged lapses he had flagged after the February 14, 2019, Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. In an interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Malik, who was the 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.

On Friday (April 21), Malik said he was summoned by the CBI for questioning in connection with a case of alleged corruption in the Union Territory. The case pertains to allegations of irregularities in an insurance scheme involving Anil Ambani-led Reliance General Insurance. It was registered after Malik made allegations of attempts to bribe him in the matter. “The CBI officials called me and asked if I am going to be in Delhi one of these days. I told them I will come to Delhi on April 23. They want to seek some clarification on the schemes, for which I will have to go to their guest house on Akbar Road,” Malik told The Indian Express.

During the interview, Shah also spoke on Rahul Gandhi losing his residence after his disqualification as an MP owing to his conviction in a defamation case. “We didn’t ask Rahul Gandhi to disrespect OBCs. It was done by his advisor. We can’t punish anyone. Not apologising is a decision he made. He was the one who tore off the ordinance. So now when he is on the wrong end of the law, he should not play victim. No one should think he is above the law. No family is above the law. Congress could not conclude cases during its time. In this case, there is a conviction,” Shah said.