J&K News Today Commentary

Governor Satya Pal Malik and his administration have changed the landscape of Jammu and Kashmir that was unthinkable before he arrived on the scene in August last year.

True to his word that he would make Raj Bhavan a place where people will have unhindered access 24X&, he has kept the doors of the Governor’s house open for everyone , though it is supposed to be one of the most fortified places because of the situation in the state, particularly the Kashmir Valley.

 Satya Pal Malik has worked on multi-pronged strategies that have given tenacity to the idea of people-friendly governance. In  pursuit of this Malik has  worked overtime in setting the things right , and the first task he took upon himself was to lift fear from the minds of the people. There were two kinds of fears working on the minds of the population- the violence by militants and the impact of the gory violence on the environment in which they lived, always fearful of challenging militancy and the life styles imposed on them.

Militants had inserted fear in the minds by engaging in violence on full time basis, and when they were neutralized in encounters with the security forces, their associates would kill the civilians. They did the killings by giving them tag of “informers.”

The killing and maiming of civilians spread fear among the people. They had chosen to remain silent. By relentless operations against the militants,  but  only after giving them the opportunity to surrender , Governor’s administration  has hit hard at the fear-spreading sources. Consequently, the fear is fading and peace is taking back its place.

In more than one ways it is the singular contribution of the Governor. He supplemented this by holding Municipal, Panchayat and Parliamentary elections successfully. “Not even a bird was hurt,” sums it up the way the people participated in the elections without any fear. Democracy always opens doors to peace. This is what can be termed as the most significant contribution.

Despite the fact Pulwama attack happened in Kashmir in February this year, Mr. Malik did not allow its shadows to be cast on the people, his actions made only the militants to worry and run. All this is happening for the first time in the history of J&K that has had many Governors, and several spells of Governor’s rule and that of President’s rule.