Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik —a former Congressman who had quit from Rajya Sabha over the Bofors scam— has backed Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming that the late Rajiv Gandhi was responsible for the Bofors scandal.
Malik, along with late PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had resigned from Rajya Sabha over the Bofors scam and joined VP Singh led Janta Dal in 1988.
Breaking his silence after Prime Minister Modi's `Brashtachari Number One remark', Malik said he (Rajiv Gandhi) ultimately was responsible for the Bofors (scam).
"I and Mufti sahib had then quit Rajya Sabha due to Bofors case. We fought and formed the Jan Morcha. All this means that we accepted that Rajiv Gandhi was involved in the Bofors scandal. Initially, he was good but then he came under influence of people and ultimately he was responsible for Bofors," Malik told reporters
Jammu and Kashmir governor also made no bones about the election discourse in the country noting that when Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru can be mentioned why cannot Rajiv Gandhi be mentioned. "When Rajiv's son calls you chor, won't you tell him who he is and what his legacy is", he said.
Malik, who joined BJP in 2004, was the governor of Bihar before he was transferred to Jammu and Kashmir last year to replace NN Vohra who had been in the office for two consecutive terms.
Malik has been facing flak for his political statements in the past. In February Malik stoked a major controversy after he claimed that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is imploding and nobody should take its president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti seriously.
In October last year, a political storm hit Jammu and Kashmir after governor Satya Pal Malik stated that a foreign educated man will be the Mayor of Srinagar, even before the election process is over in the restive state.
