Gandhi-Malik Video: Congress Leader Targets Govt on Adani, Pulwama

Malik told Gandhi that the government failed to keep its promise on the MSP because “Adani built huge godowns, purchased crops at a price”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi interacted with former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday and held a discussion on various topics, including Jammu and Kashmir, the 2019 Pulwama attack, the women’s reservation bill, and Adani.

In the video which was shared by Gandhi on X, Malik stressed the importance of returning the statehood to the people of J&K. “Statehood should be returned immediately. Abrogation of Article 370 has not hurt them as much as taking away their statehood and making them a Union Territory has… It should be returned immediately and then elections should be held,” Malik said.

“I think J&K cannot be managed by force or an Army,” he said. Criticising the Centre’s handling of the Pulwama attack, Malik said that it could have been avoided if the government responded and approved the request for aircraft needed by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.

“Had I known, I would’ve done something about it. We knew there was a chance of attack,” he said. The Pulwama attack was one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir that took place in 2019, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

On Adani, Malik told Gandhi that the government failed to keep its promise on the minimum support prices (MSP) because “Adani built huge godowns, purchased crops at a price”. “They have cheated the farmers on MSP. When they repealed the farm laws, they promised MSP. It hasn’t been done till date. Why? Because Adani has built huge godowns and purchased crops at a set price. Next year, the prices will increase and he will sell it then,” Malik said.

Addressing the issue of Adani’s involvement in agricultural activities, Malik said that PM Modi is on the brink of “ending farming” in India.

Gandhi also highlighted the Central government’s “distraction” tactics whenever they felt the heat on their policies– be it Manipur, caste census, or the much-awaited Women’s Reservation Bill. On the Women’s Reservation Bill, Malik said the government is not giving anything to these women, but the PM made them feel like he did something great. “He (PM Modi) uses the smallest things to his advantage. He did the same thing with the Women’s Bill. Women are not getting anything,” he added.

Speaking of Manipur, Malik said that the government has failed the people of the state, and the BJP is not going to win the upcoming elections there. He said the government has no control in Manipur. “But it is only for six months. I can give in writing. They will not come back to power,” he added.

Malik also said that the only way for India to survive is to walk the path of liberal Hinduism, as Mahatma Gandhi Ji intended.