SHILLONG, Nov 29: Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik has said that since both Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and he were pursuing with the Central government the issue of introduction of ILP system in the state, there was no need for putting additional pressure on the state government. He said a decision would be taken after examining the matter “from all angles”.
In an exclusive chat with The Shillong Times on Saturday, the Governor, who has barely completed a hundred days in Raj Bhavan, was curious to know the views of the large majority on the issue of ILP.
Commenting on the developing situation on the Inner Line Permit in Meghalaya and the agitation for its early implementation by pressure groups, the Governor said, “The Chief Minister has recently met Home Minister, Amit Shah on this issue and I am also following up on the matter so there is no reason for putting undue pressure on the government. Besides, the Union Home Ministry has to look at the matter from all angles.”
Governor Malik however wanted to know as to what were the views of the large majority of citizens of Meghalaya on the ILP.
The current occupant of the Raj Bhavan, it seems, is neither bombastic nor given to imprudent statements. The Shillong Raj Bhavan is no longer at the eye of the storm as it was last year in December when the outgoing Governor, Tathagata Roy invited the wrath of pressure groups over some provocative comments at a time when the state was under the grip of the anti-CAA demonstration and the legislature passed a resolution demanding for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to be implemented in Meghalaya.
Governor Malik, who assumed office in August this year after having been through a rough patch in Goa over his criticism of the state government’s handling of the COVID crisis, is known to stand up for what he believes in.
After Malik’s transfer from Goa, former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat had said that Malik was transferred from Goa at a time when he is needed here the most. Kamat said, “Satya Pal Malik stood by truth, emotions and sentiments of every Goan on core issues like Mhadei (water sharing crisis), economic revival, austerity measures and handling and management of COVID pandemic. Goa needed him the most now.” That’s some commendation coming from a senior politician of the state.
When asked as to what his priorities in Meghalaya are, the Governor said he is still observing the situation and would ensure that he carries out his mandate.
Malik said he has not been able to travel out of Shillong on account of the COVID situation but had travelled to Sohra recently and found the place quiet fascinating but without any tourists despite having opened up. He is soon travelling to Tura and other districts to brief himself on the ground situation.
Speaking of his tenures in Bihar and Jammu & Kashmir, Governor Malik said, “In my tenure the Raj Bhavan has always been open to the public. People could call me at any time and express their concerns and I have always tried to address them. In June 2018 as Governor of Bihar I set up a complaint cell at the Raj Bhavan and told women students who faced molestation and sexual harassment on campus to send their complaints directly to the Raj Bhavan where special officers would address such complaints,” Malik said. That should endear him to a state with a very high number of rape cases remaining unsolved.
The Governor also shared how he closed down over a hundred B.Ed colleges in Bihar where every political leader had opened up a college and degree certificates were manufactured. “They take admissions of students illegally. After that we have to give permission to them to conduct exams on the plea that the future of students are at stake. During inspection day, they will show faculty members taken from another college as their own. They do not take consent from the Governor or Chief Minister before opening such colleges,” Malik said.
Governor Malik avoided the topic of his controversial tenure in J&K when the state was put under Governor’s Rule and Article 370 was scrapped. His only contention was that he tried to bring order in the governance of Jammu & Kashmir including scrapping of the Health Insurance Scheme floated by no less than Reliance General Insurance Company (RGIC) where he directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau to review the entire process in relation to the granting of contract to the Company.
When asked how he succeeded in putting the brakes on Reliance whose boss Anil Ambani is said to be close to Prime Minister Modi, Governor Malik said, “I spoke to Prime Minister Modi and he told me to go ahead and do what is necessary, so to that extent I will say that the PM is averse to corruption,” the Governor said.