Not going to J-K with closed mind, fixed agenda: Governor Malik

By Naveen Kapoor

New Delhi [India], Aug 29 (ANI): Newly-appointed Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik plans to establish direct contact with people of the state to understand the reason of their anger and address their issues. In an interview to ANI, Malik said he is not going to J-K with a closed mind and fixed agenda.

"I am not going there (J-K) with a closed mind or a fixed agenda. We must look at the positive side. Kashmir football team recently defeated Mohun Bagan, Amarnath Yatra passed off peacefully. So, I will go and talk to people there and hear their issues," Malik said.

In his tenure as Jammu and Kashmir Governor Malik will also meet political leaders of all hues. He said that dialogue with political leadership is not his mandate and this will be done by the Centre appointed interlocutor, Dineshwar Sharma.

"I will meet, greet and dine with political leaders but dialogue is not my mandate. I am meeting interlocutor (Sharma) tomorrow and will take his feedback. I will hold dialogue with people of the state. Addressing the issues of the people is our main aim," Malik said.

"I will go there to understand their issues, hold talks with different sections of society like teachers, lawyers and deal with the problems people are facing," he added. In a people-friendly move, the newly appointed J-K Governor has asked State Commissioners and Advisers to meet people at district headquarters once a week and resolve their grievances.

Malik also plans to go all out against corruption in allocation and utilisation of funds from the Centre to State. He met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday in New Delhi after which the MLA funds for development that were frozen for sometime now, have been defreezed.

"Corruption is a big issue there, so I will see how funds allocated by PM can be best utilized. Also, since the Assembly was in suspended animation, the MLA fund was frozen. I talked to PM and got it defrozen so that MLAs can spend the money on the development of their constituency. Now money will go to public and can be utilised for their welfare," the Governor said.

Malik is confident of resolving the issue of stone-pelting by the youth in the state. "The incidents of stone-pelting have come down. Right now I am not in a position to say more but we are going to resolve issues," he said. The Governor, who had a close association with late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, added that Vajpayee's formula of insaniyaat is the only way out and Prime Minister Modi is also following the same path. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI