Kill those who have looted Kashmir: Governor Satya Pal Malik to terrorists

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik waded into controversy on Sunday by asking terrorists to target corrupt politicians who have "looted the entire wealth" of the state rather than innocent people and security personnel.

"These boys who have picked up guns are killing their own people, they are killing PSOs (personal security officer) and SPOs (special police officers). Why are you killing them? Kill those who have looted the wealth of Kashmir. Have you killed any of them?" Malik said, speaking at an event in Kargil.

He alleged that political families who have ruled Kashmir have amassed properties across the world by looting public money.

But Malik also included an appeal to shun violence, saying, "The government of India will never go down before a gun."

The governor has often accused political leaders of Kashmir of corruption and having no representative character because of poor turnout in elections.

Malik talked about corruption in the state and said if it were up to him, he would have put the corrupt in jail.

"The big families who have ruled Kashmir have got unlimited wealth. They have one house in Srinagar, one in Delhi, Dubai, one in London and elsewhere. They are shareholders in big hotels," he said.

Reacting strongly to the statement, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah attacked the governor.

"This man, ostensibly a responsible man occupying a constitutional position, tells militants to kill politicians perceived to be corrupt.

Perhaps the man should find out about his own reputation in Delhi these days before sanctioning unlawful killings and kangaroo courts," he tweeted.