Protocol will not stop me meeting leaders, says Malik
New Governor of Jammu & Kashmir stressed on need for dialogue at all levels
The newly appointed Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satya Pal Malik is the first politician to be appointed to the position in over half a century. However, he says, “I may be a politician appointed as governor, but I’m not in Jammu and Kashmir for politicking.”
Speaking exclusively to The Hindu after meeting with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr. Malik said his brief was to “reach out to the people of the State, to listen to them and after listening, do whatever is in their interests.”
“I will be inviting leaders of political parties to meet with me and if anyone feels uncomfortable to come to me, I will go to them. Protocol will not stop me,” Mr. Malik said.
Mr. Malik, in one of his first orders of business after taking over, issued instructions that district collectors should earmark at least one day in the week for public hearings.
He has also told the two centrally appointed advisors — B.B. Vyas and Vijay Kumar — to do the same.
Mr Malik’s appointment is expected to flag the direction of the central government’s thinking for the troubled State, and points to several things. Sources in government have confirmed to The Hindu that the first big order of business would be the peaceful conduct of panchayat level polls .
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Daily Report and is published from a The Hindu.)
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