SRINAGAR, Oct 23: The autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly witnessed heated exchanges between ruling National Conference (NC) and opposition BJP members during obituary references on Thursday, triggered by remarks on the role of late Satya Pal Malik, the former governor who passed away in August.
The controversy erupted after NC MLA Bashir Veeri described Malik’s role in the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 as controversial. BJP member Sham Lal Sharma demanded that Veeri’s remarks be expunged from the record, but Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather asked Veeri to respect the deceased and rejected the expunging request.
Congress legislative party leader G.A. Mir praised Malik as an outspoken and popular leader, acknowledging both his contributions and struggles in his last days. PDP MLA Rafiq Naik urged members to speak positively while paying tribute and reminded the House that obituary references should not be mixed with discussions on living legislators, such as AAP’s Mehraj Malik.
CPI(M) MLA M.Y. Tarigami stressed that paying respects does not preclude learning lessons from a leader’s actions, advocating for constructive criticism within decency. Awami Ittehad Party MLA Sheikh Khursheed also highlighted Malik’s integrity and later efforts for farmers’ welfare.
Referring to August 5, 2019—the date of Article 370 abrogation—BJP’s Vikram Randhawa defended Malik, saying his appointment as governor across five states reflected his talent, and noted the coincidence of Malik’s passing on August 5 this year. The remarks drew protests from some NC members.
In a distinguished political career, Satya Pal Malik served as governor of Bihar, Odisha, Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, and Meghalaya, leaving behind a legacy marked by both administrative responsibility and public service. (Agencies)
