With the Opposition citing Satya Pal Malik’s remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Meghalaya Governor on Monday said he lauded the PM’s move to withdraw the contentious farm laws and “the PM is on the right track now”.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Malik said that his remarks quoting Union Home Minister Amit Shah had been “misconstrued” and “Shah did not make any comment on the Prime Minister” but had “asked me to keep meeting people and try to convince them”.
“Actually, Amit Shah had asked me why do I keep making statements? But when I told him the government had to find a middle path for the farmers and cannot let them die, he was very understanding. He understood the issue too,” he was quoted as saying.
On Sunday, Malik took his offensive against the central government and BJP leadership a step further, saying when he went to meet PM Modi to discuss the issue of farmers recently, he ended up fighting up with the PM, who was “very arrogant”.
Addressing a social function at Dadri in Haryana, Malik said, “Main jab kisano ke mamle me Pradhan Mantri ji se milane gaya, to meri panch minute mein ladai ho gayi unse. Woh bahut ghamand mein the. Jab maine unse kaha, hamare 500 log mar gaye… to usne kaha, mere liye mare hain? (Maine) kaha aapke liye hi to mare the, jo aap raja bane huye ho… Mera jhagda ho gaya. Unhone kaha aab aap Amit Shah se mil lo. Main Amit Shah se mila… (When I went to meet the Prime Minister to discuss the farmer issue, I ended up fighting with him within five minutes. He was very arrogant. When I told him that 500 of our own (farmers) had died… he said, ‘Did they die for me?’ I told him yes, since you are the king. I ended up having an argument with him. He told me to meet Amit Shah and I did).”
His remarks came after the three controversial farm Acts were withdrawn by the centre in November 2021, days before one of the longest-standing protest by farmers on Delhi borders was to complete a year on November 26. The Centre has not only repealed the farm laws but has also agreed to consider other demands including the MSP.
Appointed governor — in Jammu and Kashmir and Goa, before being posted to Meghalaya — during Narendra Modi’s term as prime minister, Malik has been taking swipes at the government.
Financial Express is now on Telegram. 
