Contradicting his own remarks that dialogue is the domain of the central government and Prime Minister alone wields the power and authority to take call on dialogue with separatists and Pakistan the Governor Satya Pal Malik virtually went off the track this week when he said “ talks with the separatists are possible only if they keep Pakistan out”. Though like all previous governors Satya Malik has to take care of his constitutional duties and oversee the routine administrative work of the state government during governor’s rule in the state but he often tends to plunge into political controversies as if he is head of any mainstream political party in the state. He may or many not agree but the fact is that his views on offer of dialogue to separatists with the condition to “keep Pakistan out” can be questioned on the pretext that if he believes in dialogue with separatists without Pakistan then he should have pondered over the attempts of Atal Bihari Vajpayee to reach out to both Pakistan and the separatists even after limited war in Kargil in the year 1998. Satya Pal Malik does not bother to recall that the Agra summit over Kashmir was held after 1998 limited war in Kargil during the reign of Vajpayee government in the year 2001 and after this summit Vajpayee himself and his deputy L K Advani held a meeting with a delegation of Hurriyat Conference (M) headed by Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq in New Delhi in the year 2004.
Governor Satya Pal Malik claiming to be accountable before Prime Minister Narendra Modi only for the actions he is taking as governor of Jammu & Kashmir forgets to remember that Prime Minister himself is questionable for all the actions of his government before the people of the country. Governor Satya Pal Malik may understand it or not but he can’t deny the fact that Prime Minister may also have to give accounts for the actions he as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir is taking in Jammu & Kashmir and also for the remarks he makes over issues concerning dialogue with Pakistan and the separatist over Kashmir issue.
So overtly and covertly the Vajpayee summit level meeting with the then Pakistan President General (Retd) Parvez Musharaff at Agra in the year 2001 and direct engagement with a delegation of Hurriyat Conference (M) in the year 2004 are sufficient enough for Governor Satya Pal Malik to understand the necessity of engagement with both Pakistan and as well as separatists for resolving the Kashmir issue. Governor Satya Pal Malik claiming to be accountable before Prime Minister Narendra Modi only for the actions he is taking as governor of Jammu & Kashmir forgets to remember that Prime Minister himself is questionable for all the actions of his government before the people of the country. Governor Satya Pal Malik may understand it or not but he can’t deny the fact that Prime Minister may also have to give accounts for the actions he as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir is taking in Jammu & Kashmir and also for the remarks he makes over issues concerning dialogue with Pakistan and the separatist over Kashmir issue.
