After an explosive interview of former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik, the Congress criticised Union government and sought answers from them regarding the allegations that Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the former to keep quiet when he pointed out lapses that led to 2019 Pulwama terror strike in 2019.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh accused the BJP-led Union government of "minimum governance and maximum silence" and asked it to comment on the reported revelations made by Satypal Malik.
"The government believes in the principle of minimum governance and maximum silence … It is the government's responsibility to answer questions raised by the opposition," he said, adding that the Congress will continue to raise questions on the issue that concerns national security.
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In a statement, they said, "Everyday Shri Rahul Gandhi is raising this issue. Our Congress President, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge and the entire opposition is demanding a JPC inquiry. Now every child of the country knows that that Modi ji has got Rahul ji disqualified from the Parliament to save his best friend = Adani."
That the Adani scandal has caused severe damage to the Prime Minister and BJP, Malik had said in the interview to Karan Thapar that he would suggest the PM end all ties and associations with Adani. He observed that the matter has trickled down to villages and could cause a serious dent to the BJP in the 2024 elections, particularly if the opposition can field a single candidate against the BJP.
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In a media interview with The Wire, Malik, who was the governor of J&K during the Pulwama terror attack, alleged that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had asked for an aircraft ahead of the incident but the request was denied by the Union Home Ministry. Malik also claimed that he was instructed to remain silent on the issue..
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel too said the BJP-led Central government must respond to claims made by the former Jammu and Kashmir governor. “Allegations have been levelled against Bharatiya Janata Party and Centre. The matter is linked to the security of the nation and martyrdom of jawans. If the then governor has made such statements and accusations, then the Centre must reply to it," he said.
Meanwhile, BJP's Amit Malviya rubbished the allegations. "Satyapal Malik, former Governor of J&K, admits to lying and making up baseless stories on what Home Minister Amit Shah had said about Prime Minister Modi… No one took him seriously even when he made these allegations back then. But it raises serious questions on his credibility," he said in a tweet.
