Politicians, Bureaucrats live better lives than Emperor Jahangir: Satya Paul Malik

Asserting that he does not have political agenda in J&K, Governor Satya Paul Malik Wednesday said powerful people like politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen live better live then Emperor Jahangir in Kashmir.
“When I raised voice against corruption, I was blamed for defaming Kashmir in the name of corruption. I am not defaming Kashmir. It is those people who indulge in corruption who defamed Kashmir,” Governor Satya Pal Malik said addressing media.
Malik interacted with the media at Jammu’s convention centre to highlight the achievement of his administration during his tenure when the Governor claimed to be the crusader against corruption in Jammu Kashmir.
“I said there is a massive corruption in Kashmir. A senior political leader reacted to it and alleged that I was defaming Kashmir, but it was not,” he said.
“Normal Kashmiri youth who go to Amaranth yatra with ponies hardly have money to purchase a sweater to wear. On the other hand, the living standard of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, or businessmen have perhaps better livelihood than Emperor Jahangir,” he said.
He said there was a lack of development in Jammu Kashmir due to large-scale corruption despite huge amount of money being pumped by Government of India.
“Kashmir would have turned into gold had the amount given to the Valley by the Government of India been utilized properly without any corruption,” the Governor said.
Hinting at the cancelation of Reliance Health Insurance, he said the policy was rolled back when he came to know about corruption in insurance and handed over the case to the Anti-Corruption Bureau for probe.
The Governor said he had not come to J&K to satisfy the political parties.
“I am the first Governor who broke protocol while meeting leadership of National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party. I met both the former chief ministers, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah at their respective residences without caring about protocol,” he said. “I wish them well. I am not encroaching on their political space. Instead, I am doing my job entrusted upon me as per the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and Constitution of India.”
The Governor declined to comment on the joining of militant ranks by teenage youth and their killing by the government forces in Kashmir.
“After taking over as the Governor, I feel the situation has improved and it seems normal,” he said citing the successful completion of the nine-phase Panchayat and four-phase ULB polls without violence.
The Governor said Kashmir is being defamed like it is a wrong place.
“Panchayat and ULB polls were conducted successfully but it was not given representation in the national media but if anyone would have been killed, it would have become headline in news channels,” he said.
The Governor said on the developmental front, infrastructure corporation’ had been created for the utilization of Rs 80,000 crore funds under the Prime Minister’s package to complete the incomplete works.