From CK Nayak
NEW DELHI: Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik’s sudden transfer as Governor of Meghalaya was a decision of the BJP high command aimed at ridding the coastal state of embarrassing feud between him and the State government.
The plain speaking Malik was critical of the BJP-led coalition in Goa which led to his overnight transfer from the western coast to the far-flung North East.
According to reports in media, there was a war of words between Malik and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant over issues related to “poor” COVID management in the state and construction of a new Raj Bhavan premises. The former was not in favour of a new Raj Bhavan when the small state was undergoing a major pandemic crisis.
“The Governor had called out the Goa chief minister for being uncultured,” former deputy chief minister Sardesai tweeted soon after Malik’s transfer was announced.
“His transfer was thus expected as truth is despised here under the present dispensation,” he said.
The first stand-off between the two in recent times was when Malik slammed the chief minister for “putting words in his mouth” related to media criticism of the government’s COVID-19 management.
Goa opposition lauds Malik
Opposition parties in Goa, mainly the Congress, alleged that Malik was “shifted” for criticising the ruling BJP-led coalition Government. Goa opposition leader Digambar Kamat heaped praise on Malik for his open criticism of the Goa government’s pandemic management strategies. In a statement Kamat said that “an honest and upright person” like Malik has been transferred at a time when Goa needed him the most.
He said Malik’s public utterances on his differences with the political leadership, were made with a sole intention of protecting the common man and environment and nature of Goa. “Malik was always concerned about bad finances of the state and consistently advised the government to adopt austerity measures and to stop wasteful expenditure,” the Congress leader said.
Goa Forward Party (GFP) Chief Vijai Sardesai said Malik spoke the truth about the prevailing COVID-19 situation in the coastal state. Malik had taken a strong stand on the Mahadayi issue and other austerity measures including opposition for new Raj Bhavan, he said.