Former J&K Governor Satyapal Malik passes away
Satyapal Malik, former governor of four Indian states and a prominent Jat farmer leader, passed away at 79 in Delhi. A veteran politician, Malik held posts in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, and various parties before joining the BJP. Known for his outspoken views, he served as governor during key events like the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.
ANI Satypal Malik, who served as governor of four states in five years from 2017 to 2022 and was often in the news for his controversial remarks, passed away on Tuesday. Known as a farmer leader who began his political journey in Bharatiya Kranti Dal and served as MLA in Uttar Pradesh in the 1970 before becoming a member of Lok Sabha and then the Rajya Sabha. Malik was 79.
After a long stint with the parties across the political spectrum barring the Left, Malik joined the BJP and contested the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh. A prominent farmer leader who enjoyed wide support in his Jat community, Malik was often fielded by BJP to reach out to the voters in western UP between 2004 and 2014 when the party was in the Opposition. In 2012, he was appointed as one of the national Vice Presidents of BJP.
Under the Narendra Modi-led NDA government that was formed in 2014, Malik was appointed governor of Bihar in September 2017. In less than a year, he was moved to the Jammu and Kashmir Raj Bhavan in August 2018. The abrogation of Article 370 that gave special status to J&K was done during his governorship on August 5, 2019. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were made Union Territories and Malik served as Lieutenant Governor till October when he was made Governor of Goa. In August 2020, he was moved to Meghalaya.Malik was often in the thick of controversies due to his outspoken remarks. As governor of Goa he said governors usually have no real work and are known playing golf and sipping wine. After his stint as governor ended in 2022, he made several bitter remarks against Prime Minister Modi on the Pulwama terror attack of February 2019. He had several conspiracy theories about the blast that killed 40 soldiers.Malik had been ailing for some months and passed away at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital in the national capital.
Malik became an MLA in 1974 from Baghpat in UP from Charan Singh-led Bharatiya Kranti Dal. He was elected to Rajya Sabha for two terms in 1980 and 1986 but quit in 1989 during his second term to become a Lok Sabha member from Aligarh. His term in the Lower House ended in 1991 when the next general elections were held.A party hopper, Malik was with BKD, Janata Dal, Congress, Lok Dal, Samajwadi Party and BJP at different points in his long career.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
3 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar appointed new Chief Whip of Trinamool Congress in Lok Sabha
Synopsis Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has been appointed as the Trinamool Congress' new Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha, succeeding Kalyan Banerjee, who resigned after criticizing party leadership. Satabdi Roy is now the Deputy Leader. Meanwhile, Abhishek Banerjee has been chosen as the leader of the Trinamool Congress' Parliamentary party in the Lok Sabha, following Sudip Bandyopadhyay's health concerns. IANS Kolkata: Trinamool Congress member Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar has been appointed as the new Chief Whip of the Trinamool Congress' Parliamentary team in the Lok reshuffle occurred barely 24 hours after Kalyan Banerjee's resignation. The post had fallen vacant on Monday. Kalyan Banerjee's resignation came after he publicly criticised the party's parliamentary leadership, questioning the attendance of fellow MPs and Mahua official announcement on this count was made by the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday through an official post on the party's X Handle.'Shri Kalyan Banerjee submitted his resignation yesterday to the Chairperson from the post of Chief Whip of the @AITCofficial Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha. The Chairperson has accepted his resignation and thanked him for his contributions in that role.'In consultation with senior parliamentarians, the Chairperson has nominated Dr. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar as the new Chief Whip of the @AITCofficial in the Lok Sabha and Smt. Satabdi Roy as the new Deputy Leader of the AITC in the Lok Sabha with immediate effect. We extend our best wishes to both of them in their new roles and in their continued efforts to uphold Bengal's pride, rights and honour,' the statement read. Meanwhile, following the ailing health of MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Trinamool's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was selected as the leader of Trinamool Congress' Parliamentary party in the Lok Banerjee on NRCWest Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday raised concern over NRC."How can the Assam government issue such notices? Bengali workers are being killed in Maharashtra. They are being tortured in several other states like Delhi and Haryana. How dare they say there is no language called Bengali! This will never be tolerated. It is our oath to protect our mother tongue," Banerjee said."In the name of the voter list, they are planning to implement NRC. I do not trust the BJP. Those who have valid documents must ensure their names are registered in the electoral roll. They are planning to remove them. Know this, if they lay a hand on you, we will not remain silent. This is a fight for harmony, culture, and existence," she added.
Deccan Herald
6 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Transport unions are in contempt: Karnataka HC on bus strike despite restraining orders
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court said the transport unions are in contempt by going ahead with the strike on Tuesday despite the restraining orders. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and CM Joshi orally observed this and extended till Thursday the interim order restraining the Transport Corporation Employees to put on hold their proposed strike.'You (office bearers of unions) are in contempt. We will have to issue contempt. Has the strike been suspended? There's an order passed under the Essential Services Management Act (ESMA). The strike is illegal and you can be arrested as a consequence. You cannot hold the public to ransom. This is exactly what the union is doing,' the bench orally strike: Opposition BJP asks Congress govt, CM to come out of 'deep slumber', resolve bench was hearing the PIL filed by J Sunil and others. At the hearing, Advocate General (AG) K Shashikiran Shetty informed the court that despite the interim order by the court, the employees of the three out of the four corporations, went ahead with the strike. He further said while the conciliation efforts are still on, a large number of people were affected by the the query posed by the bench, the AG said that on July 17, the state government had issued a notification under the ESMA declaring the strike as illegal. Meanwhile, the counsel representing the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Trade Unions of KSRTC employees submitted that the strike has been suspended and that BMTC services are plying 90 per cent to the capacity. The advocate said that he does not represent the unions of employees and other transport this stage, the bench said that it is not concerned with the negotiations and that the unions are free to hold discussions with the state government in whatever manner."You cannot put the public to inconvenience. As per law, the strike is illegal,' the bench said while asking the advocate of the union to report about calling off the strike. The court also ordered notice to other unions representing transport PIL stated that the proposed indefinite strike violates the right to mobility guaranteed under Article 21 of the constitution. The petitioner placed the August 1, 2025 circular issued by the KSRTC that prohibited the employees from participating in any strike by citing ESMA and Industrial Disputes Act. The circular also invoked the 'No work No pay' principle and warned the employees of disciplinary action.
New Indian Express
6 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Derogatory remarks against Amit Shah: Rahul Gandhi to appear before Jharkhand court on August 6
RANCHI: Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, will appear before the MP-MLA Special Court in Chaibasa on Wednesday, in a defamation case registered against him for an alleged objectionable remark against Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2018. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi arrived in Ranchi on Monday to attend the last rites of former Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren. After paying his respects in Soren's native village, Nemra, Gandhi returned to Ranchi and will proceed to Chaibasa on Tuesday to appear before the MP-MLA Court as directed by the Jharkhand High Court on June 10. The High Court had earlier dismissed Gandhi's plea challenging a non-bailable warrant issued by the Chaibasa court, which had ordered his personal appearance by June 26. Gandhi's counsel had sought an exemption under Section 205 of the CrPC, but the court rejected the request, insisting on his physical presence. Following this, Gandhi approached the High Court, where his lawyer argued that scheduling conflicts prevented an earlier appearance. After consultations, August 6 was agreed upon as a suitable date for the hearing. The legal trouble stems from a 2018 speech during an AICC plenary session in New Delhi, where Gandhi allegedly referred to BJP leaders as "murderers" and "liars." He had stated, 'The people of this country will never accept a lying BJP leadership drunk with power… They will accept a man accused of murder as BJP President, but the same won't be tolerated in Congress.' A BJP worker, Pratap Kumar, filed a complaint in Chaibasa's Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in July 2018, prompting the court to take cognizance in February 2022. Summons were issued to Gandhi, followed by a bailable warrant after he failed to appear. With his continued absence, a non-bailable warrant was eventually issued in May 2025. The case highlights the ongoing political tensions as Gandhi faces judicial proceedings over his remarks.
