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New Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Satya Pal Malik: A chequered career of conviction, contradiction & controversy
NEW DELHI: Satya Pal Malik, a seasoned politician who traversed India's political spectrum from the Lok Dal to Congress to the BJP, and later emerged as a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, passed away on Tuesday at 1.12 PM at Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital. He was 79. He had been undergoing treatment for kidney and age-related ailments. Once a trusted aide of PM Modi—holding gubernatorial posts in Bihar, J&K, Goa, Odisha, and Meghalaya—Malik's final years were defined by his outspoken dissent. He criticised the government over the handling of the 2019 Pulwama attack, the farmers' protest, and alleged corruption during his tenure as J&K Governor. Later, the CBI chargesheeted him in a bribery case linked to Rs 2,200 crore Kiru hydropower project in Kashmir. Malik's journey was as eventful as it was ideologically fluid. Born in Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh, into a Jat family, his political roots were in socialist movements. He began as a student leader and was elected MLA in 1974 on the Bharatiya Kranti Dal ticket led by Chaudhary Charan Singh. In 1980, he entered the Rajya Sabha as a Lok Dal member. By 1984, he had joined the Congress, which re-nominated him to the Rajya Sabha in 1986. He later aligned with Janata Dal and served as Lok Sabha MP from Aligarh. Despite his many political shifts, Malik remained a forceful voice on agrarian and regional issues, often taking on the powers that be. His political rise peaked when the Modi government appointed him as Bihar governor in 2017, later entrusting him with the politically sensitive state of Jammu & Kashmir in August 2018. His tenure in J&K was both historic and controversial. Malik was governor during the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Coincidentally, he died on the sixth anniversary of that move. He was also in office during the Pulwama attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel. Later, Malik accused the Centre of suppressing facts about lapses leading to the attack, including the denial of aircraft for troop movement. He claimed he was told to 'stay silent'. Malik's long career was marked by conviction, contradiction, and controversy.
The Print
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Print
‘I'm neither one to fear nor one to bow down'—Satyapal Malik, one of Modi govt's fiercest critics
His rebellious nature and outbursts while working with the Modi government created significant controversy. Interestingly, two leaders from the Samajwadi Party, Satyapal Malik and Jagdeep Dhankhar, were adopted by BJP but both ultimately rebelled against the establishment and distanced themselves from the Modi administration. Satyapal Malik began his political career as a student union leader in Meerut in 1968-69. He switched parties multiple times, moving from Charan Singh's Lok Dal to Congress, Janata Dal, and BJP. Throughout his career, he continued to be a political leader at heart, even as Governor. New Delhi: The former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satyapal Malik passed away Tuesday at 79. He had also served as the Governor of Meghalaya, Goa, Odisha and Bihar. He had a long history of diabetic kidney disease and hypertension. Satyapal Malik entered the electoral arena in 1974, winning the assembly election from Bagpat on a ticket from Choudhary Charan Singh's Kranti Dal. He later aligned with Charan Singh and became the General Secretary of Bharatiya Lok Dal. In 1980, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha on a Lok Dal ticket, but in 1984, he joined Congress and entered the Rajya Sabha again in 1986. Following V.P. Singh's revolt against Rajiv Gandhi, he joined V.P. Singh's Jan Morcha and contested on a Janata Dal ticket from Aligarh, serving as the Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs. In 2004, Malik joined BJP and contested the Lok Sabha election against RLD's Ajit Singh from Bagpat but was unsuccessful. In the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, Ajit Singh received 3,50,000 votes, while Satyapal Malik finished in third place. However, due to his close ties with Rajnath Singh, he was appointed BJP's UP President during 2005-2006 and took charge of the BJP's farmer wing. He was later appointed the national vice president of the party during Rajnath Singh's tenure. A former BJP minister stated, 'During the times of Advani and Rajnath Singh, BJP faced a shortage of Jat representation in UP, prompting the party to promote Malik to counter Ajit Singh, leading to his elevation as vice president. It was during this period that he grew close to Modi.' But after that, the relationship went downhill. When Modi became the prime minister in 2014, he appointed Malik to oversee the Land Acquisition Bill. But his panel's report opposed the bill, prompting the government to place both the bill and the report in cold storage. One BJP member recounted an occasion when Arun Jaitley was speaking to journalists and leaders, casually inquiring about the whereabouts of Satyapal Malik. Soon after, Malik was appointed Governor of Bihar in October 2017. Known for his outspoken views, Malik accused politicians in the state of corruption, even those in the BJP-JDU alliance. The BJP government at the Centre then transferred Malik to Jammu and Kashmir before the abrogation of Article 370. He served as governor during the Pulwama attack and the abrogation of Article 370, during which he accused the Modi government of wrong-doing. (Ironically, Malik died on 5 August, the day Article 370 was annotated.) After his stint as J&K Governor, Malik accused the Modi administration of exploiting the Pulwama terror attack for political advantage. 'I learned that the martyrs were being transported to the airport. I went directly to the airport, but they confined me. I had to struggle to get out. I was locked in with a key,' he recounted, adding, 'I felt as though a spectacle was being staged.' Criticising the Prime Minister for not responding to his calls during his tenure as governor, Malik stated, 'On the day this incident occurred, he was filming at the Jim Corbett National Park. I attempted to reach him several times, but he was unavailable. He called me around 5-6 pm and inquired about the situation,' he said. 'I informed him that the attack occurred due to our own oversights. He promptly instructed me to remain silent and not discuss the issue. NSA Doval, with whom I have studied, also silenced me,' he alleged in an interview to journalist Karan Thapar in 2023. One Haryana BJP leader said, 'Malik attempted to fill the void of a Jat leader, but he was outspoken, and when he was removed from Jammu and Kashmir, the relationship between the BJP and Malik soured.' Later, he was moved to Goa, becoming the 18th governor, and also served as the 21st Governor of Meghalaya, until October 2022. However, he continued his attack on the BJP. In a speech as Meghalaya Governor, Malik stated, 'Two files were presented to me in J&K. One was related to Ambani, and the other to a senior RSS functionary. A secretary informed me that these were fraudulent files, but he also mentioned that I could receive Rs 150 crore for each of the two deals. I declined the offer, asserting, 'I have come with five kurtas and will leave with them.' Following the speech, which sparked considerable controversy, a CBI inquiry was initiated. In Goa, he accused the Sawant government of widespread corruption and claimed he was ousted as Governor for highlighting the alleged corruption. 'I am a Lohia-ite; I have spent time with Charan Singh, and I cannot tolerate corruption,' he remarked, adding that he had informed the Prime Minister Modi about an alleged scam related to the door-to-door distribution of ration. He was speaking in an interview to India Today in 2021. In later years, Malik's attacks on Modi were quite direct. During an interaction with Rahul Gandhi during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, he slammed the government on the farmers' protests and the Agniveer scheme. 'If you do not remove him (Modi) this time (in 2024), he will destroy farming, and farmers will abandon their land. He intends to hand it over to the corporates. That is their goal,' Malik said, adding, 'They will eliminate farming. They have already undermined the Army by introducing the Agniveer scheme. Who would be willing to sacrifice their life for such a brief period as Agniveer?' In January 2022, Malik condemned the Prime Minister in a speech at Dadri in western Uttar Pradesh. 'When I went to meet the Prime Minister to discuss the issue (farmers' protests), I ended up arguing with him within five minutes. He was extremely arrogant. When I informed him that 500 of our own (farmers) had died… he responded, 'Did they die for me?'' In one of his last long posts on 7 June, written from his hospital bed in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi, Satypal Malik said: 'When I was Governor (of J&K), I was offered bribes of Rs 150 crore, but like my political mentor, the farmer's messiah, the late Chaudhary Charan Singh-ji, I worked with honesty, and my integrity could never be shaken. 'When I was Governor, the farmers' movement was also ongoing, and I raised the farmers' demands while holding the post without any political greed or temptation. 'The government is trying to frame me in false charge sheets by showing me the fear of the CBI. The tender they want to implicate me in was one I personally cancelled. I had informed the Prime Minister-ji myself that there was corruption in this matter, and after informing him, I cancelled that tender myself. After my transfer, this tender was executed with someone else's signature,' he said, referring to a CBI charge sheet against him for links to alleged corruption in a hydroelectric project in the Kishtwar district of Jammu. The post ended with: 'I want to tell the government and its agencies that I come from the farmer community; I am neither one to fear nor one to bow down.' (Edited by Viny Mishra) Also read: CBI charges J&K ex-governor Satyapal Malik, 6 others in Kiru power plant kickbacks case
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Satyapal Malik: From student leader to last J&K governor; a political career that spanned five decades
NEW DELHI: Satyapal Malik, former governor of Jammu and Kashmir, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness. He died around 1pm while undergoing treatment at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi, where he had been admitted since May 2025. Hospital sources said he was battling a severe urinary tract infection and kidney failure. His aide Kanwar Singh Rana confirmed the news of his demise. Who was Satyapyal Malik ? Satyapal Malik's political career spanned over five decades, marked by a deep commitment to public service and an ability to adapt across India's complex political landscape. He entered politics in the mid-1960s. He began as a student leader, serving as President of the Meerut College Students' Union (1966–67) and later as President of the Students' Union at Meerut University (now Chaudhary Charan Singh University) from 1968 to 1969. In 1974, Malik was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Baghpat on a Bharatiya Kranti Dal ticket, where he was appointed the party's Chief Whip. He later rose to become the All-India General Secretary of the newly formed Lok Dal in 1975. Malik's parliamentary journey began in 1980 when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha representing Lok Dal. By 1984, he had joined the Indian National Congress (INC), was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1986, and served as General Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas In Dubai | Search Ads Get Quote Undo In 1987, amid the Bofors scandal, Malik resigned from both the Rajya Sabha and the INC, and went on to form the Jan Morcha, which later merged with the Janata Dal. He won the Lok Sabha seat from Aligarh in 1989 on a Janata Dal ticket. His parliamentary tenure included roles on the Panel of Chairmen in the Rajya Sabha and the Panel of Speakers in the Lok Sabha. Malik also briefly served as Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism in 1990. In the 2000s, Malik joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contested the Baghpat Lok Sabha seat in 2004, and held key roles such as Vice President of the Uttar Pradesh BJP (2005–06), All-India In-Charge of Kisan Morcha (2009), and National Vice President (2012 and 2014). He played a key role in crafting the BJP's agricultural manifesto ahead of the 2014 elections and was active in farmer rallies across the country. In recognition of his leadership, Malik was appointed governor of Bihar in 2017. He also served as the last governor of Jammu and Kashmir from August 2018 to October 2019. It was during his tenure that the abrogation of Article 370 took place on August 5, 2019—marking a historic and controversial decision that led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
The Wire
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Satyapal Malik, Former J&K Governor Who Took on Modi Govt, Passes Away
In April of 2023, in an explosive interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Malik had minced no words while speaking on the Pulwama attack and prime minister Narendra Modi's direction to him to 'keep mum' on the question of security lapse. In this Jan. 23, 2019 file photo, former Jammu & Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik at an exhibition football match in Jammu. Photo: PTI/File. New Delhi: Former governor of four states, Satyapal Malik, who took on the Narendra Modi government in his later years, has passed away. He was 79. Malik's death was announced by associates through his own X account today, August 5. Malik has been governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Goa and Meghalaya. In April of 2023, in an explosive interview to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Malik had minced no words while speaking on the Pulwama attack and prime minister Narendra Modi's direction to him to "keep mum" on the security lapse that led to the death of 40 CRPF soldiers in 2019. Mallik had also been vocal with his support for the farmers' protest. Official government websites had it that Mallik entered politics in 1965-66, inspired by the socialist ideology of Rammanohar Lohia. In 1975, he was appointed the All-India General Secretary of the newly formed 'Lok Dal', and in five years, was nominated as the Member of the Rajya Sabha from the Lok Dal. In 1984, Mallik became a Member of the Congress. In 1986, he was elected to the Rajya Sabha. A year later, he resigned from the party and his parliament membership over the Bofors scam and formed a political party, the Jan Morcha, which was merged with the Janata Dal in 1988. In 1989, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Aligarh, on a Janata Dal ticket. In 2004, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party and contested the Baghpat Lok Sabha seat. He rose through the BJP ranks, occupying key posts, including that of the all-India incharge of the Kisan Morcha of the BJP. He was appointed Bihar governor in 2017, Jammu and Kashmir governor in 2018, Goa governor in 2019 and was governor of Meghalaya from 2020 to 2022. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Indian Express
20-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Love, abandonment, and the tragic solitude of Leila Kabir Fernandes
During my 12 years of research into the life and times of George Fernandes, I met Leila Kabir Fernandes only once. The meeting was not pleasant, nor was the occasion. On the early morning of January 29, 2019, I rushed to her home in Panchsheel Park, Delhi, after receiving the news of George's death from his brother, Michael Fernandes, who called me from Bangalore. When I entered the house, the world was still unaware of his passing. Jaya Jaitly and her daughter were already there, sitting in the drawing room and solemnly discussing the arrangements for his last rites. George's mortal remains were in an inner room. Just a few years prior, in early 2010, the media had sensationalised the feud between two women over George's Alzheimer-afflicted condition. However, on that January day, Leila and Jaya were chatting amiably, as they had both loved the same man for much of their lives. Leila was the daughter of Congressman Humayun Kabir, who later revolted against Indira Gandhi and formed his own political party called Lok Dal. Her mother, Shanti Dasgupta, was a socialite known for her connections with Indira Gandhi, who was invited to be the chief guest at Leila's wedding to George in July 1971. Leila was educated at Delhi University and Oxford. She completed a nursing course and initially worked with the Red Cross, which played a significant role in bringing her and George together and ultimately led to their marriage. In a letter she wrote to her brother, who tragically took his own life by drowning in the shallow sea at Gopalpur in Orissa, where the Kabir family owned a seaside bungalow, Leila expressed that their childhood was not particularly happy. Leila slid into a remorseful, reproachful yet spirited self-analysis, writing to her brother how they both had the 'same basic stress-anxiety-tension ridden' childhood when 'I was never ok — dark, stupid, petite, fool, ugly etc., plus a female'. Their parents were extremely busy with their public lives, which left them feeling neglected while also burdened by their high expectations. This pressure took a psychological toll on the children, and Leila grew to be a possessive and insecure woman. During her marriage to George, she became increasingly sensitive to his public persona. Initially, she was supportive, but since he was often away leading labour strikes, she endured significant challenges. In May 1974, when George, as President of the All India Railwaymen's Federation, organised a nationwide strike of railway workers, Leila experienced personal hardship. In January, she had given birth to their first child. When the national Emergency was declared in June 1975, George went into hiding, leaving her alone with their infant son. Two months later, she left the country to stay with her brother in the USA. While there, the Indian government impounded her passport in an attempt to force George to emerge from hiding. A year into the Emergency, when George was arrested, Leila once again took to travelling across European capitals to gain support for her imprisoned husband, even testifying before the American Congress about the lack of democracy and human rights in India under Indira Gandhi. In the early months of 1977, the state of Emergency was lifted, elections were held, and Indira Gandhi faced defeat. Fresh from prison, George, who had achieved a significant victory in Muzaffarpur, was appointed a minister in the Morarji Desai government. Initially, Leila opposed George contesting the election while he was still incarcerated. However, after his victory and subsequent appointment as minister, she returned to India and was celebrated by the media as the indomitable force behind the international campaign for George's release. They lived in the ministerial bungalow, but their camaraderie was short-lived, much like the tenure of the Janata government. They eventually separated and remained almost incommunicado for the next 25 years, during which others filled the void in George's life. They met only when George could no longer recognise her. Despite this, Leila found some solace in witnessing George's controversial return to her, caring for him as he neared the end of his life. This became a bittersweet comfort for a lonely woman who ultimately passed away alone. In the final analysis, was she a wronged woman, victim of a career politician's scrambling ambition? She loved George, almost to the point of obsession, and remained fixated on him for much of her adult life. This fixation pulled her away from her loving, compassionate self and into the depressing depths of marital competition. Her letters reveal her awareness of the destructive tendencies of her mind, yet she remained a prisoner to the insecurities and demons rooted in her childhood, which ultimately governed her life. As the daughter of a politician and the wife of another, Leila Kabir Fernandes was unprepared for the sacrifices and compromises that a life in politics demands. It is also possible that in a high-intensity relationship like the one she shared with George, there was no room for anyone else. Their lives were so deeply interwoven, largely due to Leila's needs, that when others entered the picture to fill the solitude of a public life, their marriage crumbled under the strain of diminishing faith, trust, and love. Ramagundam is the author of The Life and Times of George Fernandes
