Opposition comes down heavily on govt after Governor Satya Pal Malik transferred to Meghalaya

PANJIM:  The opposition parties launched a scathing attack on ruling BJP over the transfer of Goa Governor Satya Pal Malik, stating the transfer took place because he was speaking the “truth” and taking a strong stand against government’s failed policies on COVID-19 management. 

Malik has been transferred as the Governor of Meghalaya, while the Governor of Maharashtra, Bhagat Singh Koshyari, has been asked to discharge the functions of Goa Governor in addition to his own duties.

Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat took on the State government stating that Malik was transferred for speaking the truth and for exposing the State government’s failures. 

“The Governor stood by truth, emotions and sentiments of every Goan on the core issues like Mhadei water diversion by Karnataka, economic revival and austerity measures, failed management of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said, while adding that “truth and BJP cannot go together”. 

Kamat added that it was sad that an honest and upright person like Malik has been transferred at a time when Goa needed him the most.  He said Malik’s actions were with a sole intention of protecting the common man and environment and nature of Goa.

“Malik was always concerned about bad finances of the State and he consistently advised the government to adopt austerity measures and to stop wasteful expenditure. Every Goan must be feeling hurt with the transfer of the Governor,” the former Chief Minister added.

Goa Congress President Girish Chodankar said, “In order to avoid another embarrassment to the defective Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Central leaders have transferred Governor of Goa Satya Pal Malik after the nexus between BJP Goa and the drug mafia was exposed by Congress.”

Goa Forward Party (GFP) President Vijai Sardesai said that Malik’s criticism of the BJP-led government may have led to his sudden transfer. 

“So Satyapal Malik who captured Goan hearts in his short tenure was expected to get transferred due to party pressure! Goa Governor Satyapal Malik spoke the truth on Goa’s Covid situation and had taken strong stand on Mhadei, austerity (no need to have new Raj Bhavan during pandemic), and had called out Goa Chief Minister for being uncultured,” the former Deputy Chief Minister tweeted. 

The GFP chief also questioned the decision of giving the Maharashtra Governor additional charge as the Governor of Goa.

“But how can anyone justify that the Governor of a sSate (Maharashtra) with maximum number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, being given the additional responsibility of another State (Goa) with the highest cases per million and a government with its administration paralysed by ignorance and misplaced priorities?” he asked.

MGP MLA and former Deputy Chief Minister Ramakrishna Sudin Dhavalikar said that Satya Pal Malik was true to his name and that his transfer was a ‘big loss’ to the people of Goa.

“Nobody can deny that there is possibility of spending of money for buying MLAs in Goa. Governor must have learnt about this type of political development as he also receives the Intelligence Bureau (IB) reports and there must have been some crucial information there, which could expose the BJP-led government and his transfer could be a fall out of that,” he added. 

Independent Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte said, “Again, Goa’s Chief Minister’s autocratic nature and political pettiness has taken from Goa its only hope-Governor Satya Pal Malik. Any opposition is considered a challenge to his autocracy and even constructive opposition, which forms the basis of democracy and good governance, is being trampled upon. 

He added that the move is also meant to serve as a warning to everyone who has opposed the CM’s autocratic methodology. 

The former Revenue Minister added that the outgoing Governor took tough decisions, was vocal against BJP’s irrational actions and critiqued incompetence of the government in handling coronavirus cases in Goa.  “Importantly, he spoke in the favour of Goans. It was only a matter of days, this was waiting to happen,” he added. 

Malik, formerly a Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, was sworn-in as Governor of Goa in November last year. Over the last few weeks however, Malik had been at loggerheads with the Chief Minister over various issues like COVID mismanagement, ‘putting words in his mouth’ related to media criticism, declining the Government decision for construction of new Raj Bhavan, etc.