UP: Tributes paid to ex-J&K; governor, farmer leader Satyapal Malik in Meerut

Meerut (UP), Aug 24 (PTI) Leaders of various political parties, farmer organisations and people in large numbers paid tributes to former Jammu and Kashmir governor and farmer leader Satyapal Malik here on Sunday.

The programme began with a havan and bhajans in the morning, followed by a tribute meeting conducted by Rohit Jakhar, state president of the National Jat Mahasangh.

Jakhar said that carrying forward Malik's fearless fight for farmers' interests would be the true homage to him.

Leaders of various parties including Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary of Rashtriya Lok Dal, Naresh Tikait of Bharatiya Kisan Union, MP Chandrashekhar Azad and Chandan Chauhan expressed condolences.

Former MP KC Tyagi, VM Singh of the National Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan, MP Harendra Malik and many other leaders also attended the meeting.

A large number of people from Haryana, Rajasthan and western Uttar Pradesh were present on the occasion.

Malik died at a hospital in New Delhi on August 5 after prolonged illness. He was 79.

In his political career spanning five decades, he served as governor of Bihar (2017), Jammu and Kashmir (2018), Goa (2019) and Meghalaya (2020).

His most impactful assignment commenced in August 2018, when he was named the governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

Malik was the last governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, where his tenure saw two defining events -- the 2019 Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel and the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. PTI COR NAV OZ OZ