Satya Pal Malik, former Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, passed away at 79. He was a key figure during the abrogation of Article 370 and held several major political roles in his long public life.
Satya Pal Malik, a senior Indian politician and former Governor of multiple states, passed away on August 5, 2024, at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi after a long illness. He was 79 years old. Malik played a major role in Indian politics and held many important positions, including Governor of Jammu and Kashmir during the historic abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
Early life and entry into politics
Satya Pal Malik was born on 24 July 1946 in Hisauli, Baghpat district, in Uttar Pradesh. His political journey began in the 1970s, when he was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly in 1974 from the Baghpat constituency.
He was associated with several political parties over the years, starting with Bharatiya Kranti Dal, then moving to Lok Dal, Janata Dal, and later aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Roles in Parliament
Malik served as a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh between 1980-89, and later as a Lok Sabha MP from Aligarh from 1989 to 1991. During his time in Parliament, he worked on many issues concerning rural development and farmers’ rights.
Governor of multiple states
Malik was appointed as the Governor of Bihar in 2017 and briefly held additional charge as the Governor of Odisha in 2018.
However, his most significant and remembered role was as the 10th and final Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, from August 2018 to October 2019. It was during his time that Article 370 was abrogated on August 5, 2019, ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and dividing the state into two Union Territories, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.
After J&K, he served as Governor of Goa and later as the Governor of Meghalaya, until October 2022.
Controversial statements and farmers’ protest
Satya Pal Malik was known for speaking his mind. In 2021, during the farmers’ protest, he openly criticized the government and warned against underestimating the strength of the Sikh and Jat communities. He often used historical references to highlight the resilience of these groups.
Some of his speeches were widely shared and even used in popular songs like “SYL” by the late Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala.
Views on Pulwama attack and Modi government
In 2023, in an interview with journalist Karan Thapar, Malik made headlines again. He claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “no real dislike for corruption” and accused the government of trying to silence him after the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019.
He said the CRPF had requested air travel for the convoy, but the Home Ministry denied it. He also pointed to serious intelligence failures, saying the car with 300 kg of RDX had moved around without being caught for over 10 days.
Malik’s bold claims sparked political debate and were seen as controversial, especially since he had served under the same government.
Remembering Satya Pal Malik’s legacy
Satya Pal Malik will be remembered for his long and diverse political career, his role in one of the most significant decisions in India’s constitutional history, and his outspoken nature in his later years.