Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday told ANI that he should not have made asking militants to target “those who have looted the wealth of Kashmir for years”.
Malik said he had made the comments “in a fit of anger and frustration”.
Stirring a political controversy, Malik on Sunday had asked militants to stop killing innocent people, including security personnel, and rather target “those who have looted the wealth of Kashmir for years”, a statement which evoked severe criticism from mainstream politicians.
“These boys who have picked up guns are killing their own people, they are killing PSOs (personal security officer) and SPOs (special police officers). Why are you killing them? Kill those who have looted the wealth of Kashmir. Have you killed any of them?” Malik asked, speaking at a tourism function in Kargil of Ladakh region.
The governor’s comments drew sharp reaction from former chief minister and senior Jammu and Kashmir National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who said Malik should check his own reputation in Delhi.
“Is he trying to promote a jungle raj?” asked State Congress chief G A Mir. He said the governor’s statement does not behove the constitutional position occupied by Malik.
Malik on Monday called Abdullah “a political juvenile tweeting on everything”.
The Governor had been speaking at the inauguration of Kargil Ladakh Tourism Festival-2019 at Khree Sultan Cho Sports Stadium Kargil on Sunday.
During his speech, the Governor was quick to add that guns could never be the solution and cited the example of LTTE in Sri Lanka.
“The government of India will never go down before a gun,” he said, asking the militants to not take the route of violence.
Malik said only 250 militants were remaining in the Valley, out which 50 per cent were Pakistanis who will be eliminated in encounters, unless they surrender.
“The maulvis promise you heaven after death but here I am promising you heaven while you live, provided you shun the path of violence,” he added in his appeal to the local militants.
Taking a veiled dig at mainstream politicians, Malik said these leaders talk a different language in Delhi and a different one in Kashmir.
“They should speak in one language at both places and need not scare us,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)