Modi had called me an hour after the attack and instructed him to remain silent – “chup raho” and “do not utter” a word to the media: Satya Pal Malik
Abdul Bari Masoud | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday reiterated his demand for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the Pulwama terror attack, occurred ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which led to the deaths of 40 CRPF soldiers.
“I demand Supreme Court-monitored investigations into the Pulwama terror attack in which our 40 troops were martyred. So far, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government have maintained a deafening silence on the tragedy and have failed to own up to the glaring lapses that led to the killings,” said Malik during a press conference jointly organized by the civil society groups and military personnel here at the Press Club of India.
The former governor charged that PM Modi “failed to own up to the lapses” and that he did not even respond to the serious inquiries he had made in this connection in April of this year. He clarified that he had raised the issue with the Prime Minister and the National Security Advisor (NSA) within hours of the tragedy.
“I am again saying that the government did not provide aircraft to the CRPF personnel to travel despite several intelligence reports of a possible terror attack. If the aircraft had been provided, the jawans would not have been martyred,” he said.
Malik was governor when the deadly terror attack took place on February 14, 2019, at Ladoo crossing near Lethpora (Awantipur) in the Pulwama district of J&K. The blast was so powerful that 40 transients (CRPF personnel) in the ill-fated bus were killed on the spot.
The Modi government ought to answer several questions about the incident. It is to be noted that various political leaders in the past raised doubts about the government’s claim with many kept demanding a fair probe.
In an interview with journalist Prashant Tandon, Malik made a startling disclosure in April of this year, claiming that Modi had called him an hour after the attack and instructed him to remain silent – “chup raho” and “do not utter” a word to the media. Malik also received a similar phone call from Ajit Doval, who too asked him to shut up.
Furthermore, in an interview with noted journalist Karan Thapar for The Wire, he claimed that the CRPF had asked the Union home ministry for aircraft to ferry their people “because such a big convoy never goes by road.” But the Union Home Ministry refused, he claimed.
After these allegations, the CBI issued summons to him for questioning in connection with an alleged health insurance scam in Jammu and Kashmir.
Eight weeks prior to the 2019 general elections, the Pulwama attack had taken place. In response to the attack, the Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes at Pakistan’s Balakot on February 26, 2019.
During the general elections, Malik said: “Modi had politicized the deaths of 40 CRPF soldiers and the IAF strikes in Balakot and had even requested that first-time voters dedicate their vote to the brave soldiers who carried out the air strike in Balakot.”
“It has been over four years since then, but the Modi government has failed to fix accountability. Winning elections is his only priority. The people of this country need to remain alert that similar attacks can happen this time too before the parliamentary polls,” the former governor alleged.
There is worrying case of Adil Ahmad Dar, the suicide bomber. The government had said Dar also died in the blast. However, the Dar had been arrested several times by Jammu and Kashmir police but was released every time.
The Kashmir Times in a report claimed that Dar was arrested & taken away by the security forces. Is he the very same Adil Ahmad Dar? Was he yet again released or then held in captivity? When did Dar come out of custody, to play the dastardly role of a suicide bomber?
Speaking at the event, Sanjiv K. Sood, a former Border Security Force (BSF) additional director-general, maintained that a number of questions remained unresolved.
Like Malik, he questioned why 2,500 CRPF soldiers — despite a request and security risks noted by numerous intelligence agencies — were not permitted to travel by air.
Sood questioned why the entire route hadn’t been sanitized considering the size of the CRPF caravan (78 trucks). Despite the existence of very intrusive security surveillance in Jammu and Kashmir, he questioned how the bombs weighing more than 300kg, including RDX, managed to reach the country’s most fortified roadway.
The former army general said the country wants answers from Modi government. He said: “Modi and his administration have to present a definitive response to the nation and its citizens. He consistently exploits the deaths of soldiers for political gain. He needs to establish responsibility for the mistakes in Pulwama. In order for the people to know the truth, we seek a probe that is overseen by the Supreme Court. PM Modi has avoided it thus far.”
Noted rights defender and lawyer Prashan Bhushan underlined that the following cynical exploitation of the incident for electoral advantages raises several questions. This not only highlights the shortcomings of intelligence agencies and ground troops but also indicates failures of leadership at all levels.
Referring to the concerns raised by Shiv Sena leaders Sanjay Rawat and Udhav Thackeray recently, rights activist and writer Feroze Mithiborwala warned that the ruling party would carry out Godhra and Pulwama-type attacks in view of the coming elections.
General Shankar Roy Choudhary, who served as the country’s 18th Chief of Staff, said: “The primary responsibility behind the loss of lives in Pulwama rests on the government headed by the Prime Minister, who is advised by the National Security Adviser. “ He described it as a setback
General Shankar Roy Choudhary, the 18th Chief of Staff of the country, recently expressed that the government led by the Prime Minister, with guidance from the National Security Adviser, bears the primary responsibility for the loss of lives in Pulwama. He described it as a setback.
During the media conference, the speakers pose the following questions to the government:
1 Why were the requests for an Airlift not granted?
2 Intelligence agencies must answer for multiple failures, negligence, and far worse. They must be held accountable.
3, The mystery surrounding the bomber Adil Ahmad Dar?
4 Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Operational Failure, Negligence or Worse!
5 The Curious Case of the Car, was it a Black SUV, or a Red Maruti Eeco?
