Frustrated due to corruption here: Satya Pal Malik on asking terrorists to ‘kill’ corrupt

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday reacted to his controversial statement in which he had asked terrorists to ‘kill’ the corrupt. “Whatever I said was in a fit of anger and frustration due to rampant corruption here,” news agency ANI quoted Malik as saying.

"As Governor, I should have not made such a comment, but my personal feeling is the same as I said. Many political leaders and big bureaucrats are steeped in corruption here," he said.

Satya Pal Malik on Sunday had asked terrorists to stop killing innocent people, including security personnel, and rather target "those who have looted the wealth of Kashmir for years".

"These boys who have picked up guns are killing their own people, they are killing PSOs (personal security officer) and SPOs (special police officers). Why are you killing them? Kill those who have looted the wealth of Kashmir. Have you killed any of them?" Malik asked, speaking at a tourism function in Kargil of Ladakh region.

Reacting to the statement, former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: “This man, ostensibly a responsible man occupying a constitutional position, tells militants to kill politicians perceived to be corrupt. Perhaps the man should find out about his own reputation in Delhi these days before sanctioning unlawful killings & kangaroo courts.”

The Governor said was quick to add that guns could never be the solution and cited the example of LTTE in Sri Lanka.

"The government of India will never go down before a gun," he said, asking the militants to not take the route of violence.

Taking a veiled dig at mainstream politicians, he said these leaders talk a different language in Delhi and different one in Kashmir.

"They should speak in one language at both places and need not scare us," he said.

The Governor was speaking at the inauguration of Kargil Ladakh Tourism Festival-2019 at Khree Sultan Cho Sports Stadium Kargil.