J&K Assembly Session Sparks Heated Debate Over Satya Pal Malik’s Legacy and Article 370

What are you doing? On the opening day of the autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Thursday, heated debates between the ruling National Conference (NC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the obituary flared up as debates flared over former governor Satya Pal Malik’s role in the abrogation of Article 370.

Malik, the last governor of the erstwhile state of J&K, passed away in August 2025. The controversy began with NC MLA Bashir Ahmed Veeri describing Malik’s role as “controversial” and mentioning the bizarre and widely mocked “fax machine fiasco” during his tenure as J&K Governor in November 2018.

The incident emerged amid intense political maneuvering following the collapse of the BJP-PDP coalition government earlier the same year, which left the state under Presidential rule. The incident centered on Malik’s sudden decision to dissolve the J&K Legislative Assembly, a few hours after opposition parties made their case for forming a new government, which he said “was never reachable” due to a faulty fax machine at the Raj Bhavan.

Veeri’s statement led to BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma demanding that the remarks be deleted. He strongly criticized the NC member for violating the established parliamentary order by starting a political debate during his obituary. He argued and argued that such events, traditionally dedicated to paying respectful tributes and highlighting the positive contributions of the deceased, were inappropriate, undermined the solemnity of the moment, and deviated from the House’s traditional practice of preserving dignity and unity when honoring the deceased.

Speaker Abdur Rahim Pretty urged Veeri to respect the deceased but refused to delete the comments.

CPI(M) MLA Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami argued that it was appropriate to discuss the actions of a deceased prominent personality during his obituary in the Assembly as his actions went beyond their personal lives and had significant impact on the wider public. He emphasized that evaluating the contributions and decisions of people in public office is a legitimate practice, provided that it is done respectfully and within the framework of etiquette. Tarigami argued that such debates honor the democratic process by promoting accountability and learning from the legacy of those who shaped the lives of the masses through their public roles.

Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir praised Malik as an outspoken and popular leader who struggled to defend the truth in his final days despite all the benefits and difficulties associated with the Article 370 decision. PDP MLA Rafiq Naik emphasized that negative words are avoided during memorial ceremonies and said, “We may have differences, but we should speak well about the deceased.” He briefly brought up the arrest of AAP MLA Mehraj Malik under the Public Safety Act, J&K’s stringent law, but the Speaker clarified that obituary references were reserved for the deceased and “he (Malik) is alive”.

Forest and tribal affairs minister Javed Rana Jal Shakti described Malik’s last days of severe physical pain and isolation amid ongoing political controversy as “makafat-e-amal”; it is a Persian-Urdu term meaning punishment for one’s actions, similar to the concept of karma or divine justice.

J&K Awami Ittehad Party MLA Sheikh Khursheed, while acknowledging Malik’s honesty and advocacy for farmers’ issues, defended constructive criticism of his tenure as the last governor of J&K. BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa termed August 5, 2019 (the day of abrogation of Article 370) as a historic day and lauded that the BJP recognized Malik’s talent by appointing him as governor of five states. He stated that Malik’s death on August 5, 2025 happened by chance and led to protests by some NC MLAs. Malik had a distinguished career; Besides serving as the governor of Bihar, Odisha, J&K, Goa and Meghalaya, he was a minister at the Center and a member of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah paid tribute to former legislators and ministers and urged the Speaker to investigate the removal of Muhammad Sultan Panditpuri from the obituary list. He emphasized learning from the contributions of the deceased and acknowledged that mistakes, whether intentional or unintentional, are human. He suggested that obituary references be edited similar to parliamentary practice to avoid political controversy. About Malik, Abdullah pointed out his services as MLA, minister and governor and added: “Despite differing opinions, their decisions may suit the times.”

The Prime Minister paid a heartfelt tribute to former NC legislator Ghulam Nabi Shaheen and praised him as a courageous leader who remained steadfast in his service to the people despite surviving a significant militant attack that resulted in the loss of one of his legs during the peak of militancy in Kashmir. He emphasized that Shaheen not only supported the values ​​and flag of the NC but also proudly wore the tricolour, symbolizing his unwavering commitment to national unity and resilience in the face of adversity.

Tensions escalated again in the Assembly when Veeri, while paying tribute to former BJP MLC Ramesh Arora, praised his secular outlook and noted that it was noteworthy “despite his affiliation with the communal RSS-BJP”. This comment sparked immediate outrage among BJP legislators led by Sharma; Sharma stood up in protest and demanded action against Veeri for what they considered a derogatory remark.

Speaker Abdul Rahim Pretty intervened and urged members to refrain from using controversial or inflammatory language during the obituary to maintain the seriousness of the occasion.

In another stirring moment, NC MLA from Poonch, Ajaz Ahmed Jan, drew the attention of the House to the violence in Palestine, specifically noting the tragic loss of children and women due to Israel’s actions in Gaza. Jan made an impassioned appeal for the Speaker to include the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza in the day’s events, urging the House to unite in condemning the atrocities and advocating for justice and compassion for affected civilians.