Former J-K Governor Satyapal Malik passes away after prolonged illness

Malik served as the last governor of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from August 2018 to October 2019. It was during his tenure that Article 370 was abrogated by the Centre, forming the state into the Union Territories of Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.

Inspired by the socialist ideology of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, Malik entered politics in 1965‑66. He served as the President of the Meerut College Students’ Union in 1966‑67 and later as President of the Students’ Union of the then Meerut University (now Chaudhary Charan Singh University) in 1968‑69.

In 1974, Malik made his legislative debut, winning the Baghpat Assembly seat on the Bharatiya Kranti Dal ticket, and was appointed the party’s chief whip in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. In 1975, he became the All‑India General Secretary of the newly formed Lok Dal. In 1980, he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha from Lok Dal.

Malik joined the Indian National Congress in 1984 and was re‑elected to the Rajya Sabha two years later. He also served as the general secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. However, disillusioned by the Bofors scandal, he resigned from both the Congress and the Rajya Sabha in 1987. That year, he formed the ‘Jan Morcha’, which later merged with Janata Dal in 1988. He worked closely with former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh, took part in the Jan‑Jagran movement, and served as Janata Dal Secretary and spokesperson from 1987 to 1991. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Aligarh in 1989.

After a brief break from active politics, Malik joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2004 and contested from the Baghpat Lok Sabha seat. He went on to serve as Vice President of the Uttar Pradesh BJP (2005‑06), All‑India in‑charge of the BJP Kisan Morcha (2009), and National Vice President of the BJP in 2012. He played a key role in shaping the party’s agricultural manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and, after being reappointed as National Vice-President that year, addressed several farmer rallies across the country.

In 2017, Malik was appointed Governor of Bihar, and on August 23, 2018, he took oath as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.

Over his political career, Malik held several significant posts, including Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly (1974‑77), Member of Parliament in both the Rajya Sabha (1980‑84, 1986‑89) and Lok Sabha (1989‑91), and Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism (April–November 1990). He also served as a member of the Panel of Chairmen in the Rajya Sabha and the Panel of Speakers in the Lok Sabha.

(With ANI inputs)

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