Satyapal Malik and August 5: The uncanny connection

New Delhi: As fate would have it, former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik died on the same day Article 370 was abrogated and the erstwhile state downgraded to two union territories six years ago.

As the governor, Malik presided over the move with precision. He feigned ignorance about the central government’s decision right till the morning of August 5, 2019, when Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill provided for the reorganisation of the state of Jammu and Kashmir into the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh.

The bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha the same day and the Lok Sabha on August 6, 2019, and received assent of the President on August 9, 2019, and became the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019.

Malik played an instrumental role in the abrogation of Article 370. In fact, Malik paved the way by laying the ground for it on November 21, 2018, when he famously blamed a state holiday for not receiving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s fax staking a claim to form the government.

Mufti had apparently faxed a letter to Malik’s office declaring a joint bid by her party and the National Conference, aided by the Congress, to form the government. The three parties had the requisite numbers – 56 in the House of 87 – to form the coalition government.

However, a few hours later, Malik ordered the dissolution of the assembly without acknowledging receipt of the fax. Malik claimed he had missed Mehbooba’s faxed letter because nobody was in his office to receive it, as it was a holiday in the state on Eid-e-Milad, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.

Prior to the abrogation of Article 370, when the Amarnath Yatra was cut short and pilgrims and tourists were asked to leave the Kashmir valley through an advisory, Malik informed that it was done as there were credible inputs regarding terrorist attacks on the pilgrimage.

Malik met a delegation of state political leaders and asked them to maintain calm and not believe rumours. The delegation included the PDP chief, the then President of the Jammu and Kashmir Political Movement (JKPM) and IAS officer Shah Faesal, People's Conference leaders Sajjad Lone and Imran Raza Ansari. The leaders expressed concerns over the panic situation in Kashmir created by the developments, including the advisory issued by the government.

Malik informed the delegation that there were serious and credible inputs which were available to the security agencies regarding terrorist attacks on the Amarnath Yatra, and it is the responsibility of the state to provide security to all its citizens. Therefore, as a precautionary measure, pilgrims and tourists were asked to return.

Malik requested the political leaders to ask their supporters not to mix up matters, to maintain calm and not believe exaggerated rumours being circulated all around. Malik had earlier clarified matters on 35A in Baramulla and the day before in Srinagar.

In October 2019, Malik was transferred to Goa, and after his frequent run-ins with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, he was shifted to Meghalaya.

After his gubernatorial terms, Malik turned against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).