Former Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik is gaining support in parts of Haryana and Punjab over his recent statements on the Pulwama terror attack.
At the time of the attack, February 14, 2019, Malik was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. He recently claimed that after the incident, he flagged certain lapses to Prime Minister Narendra Modi but was asked to stay silent. A section of farmers in Punjab and Haryana are hailing the BJP leader for coming forward to speak on an issue the Modi government is keen on silencing, reported The Indian Express.
Senior Punjab farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal tweeted, "Satya Pal Malik bravely exposed Pulwama. Farmers are his shield. He must carry on. All farmers’ organisations are with him". He had formed the political outfit Sanyukt Samaj Morcha to contest the 2022 Assembly polls in Punjab. Sanyukt Samaj Morcha spokesperson Arashdeep Singh tweeted, "@Satyapalmalik_ ji former Governor of J&K, showed immense courage in exposing the truth behind the Pulwama attack. Farmers have been his shield and support. He must continue his efforts. @ssm_punjab stands with him."
Azad Singh Palwa, a farmers' leader from Haryana, said "Satya Pal Malik spoke for us during the farmers’ agitation. Now, it’s payback time for farmers. We will participate in the Delhi event on Saturday." Malik had also spoken in support of the agitation against the three farm laws.
A couple of khaps from Haryana are mobilising support for an event to express solidarity with Malik. Some have also sought a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the matter. They also asked for boosting Malik's security.