Did Satyapal Malik oppose as ex-socialist? He has been 'quiet' on PM's neo-liberal policies

By Prem Singh*
Meghalaya Governor Satyapal Malik's stand has not softened even after the government withdrew three controversial agri-laws. Speaking at a social function in Haryana's Charkhi Dadri town on January 2, he said that when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the question of farmers' agitation and raised the issue of the death of 500 farmers, the PM's attitude was arrogant. He also said that their meeting ended in an argument.
In other words, Malik conveyed the message that he went to the extent of even risking a quarrel with the arrogant Prime Minister on the question of farmers. He further stated that the PM asked him to meet Home Minister Amit Shah who pacified him by saying that the PM has gone mad!
Satyapal Malik's anti-government attitude on the issue of the farmers’ agitation has been highly appreciated among the agitating farmers and supporters. If any leader, more so at the governor level, sitting in power under the ruling BJP government opposes any decision or attitude of the government and dares to question even at the slightest point, then it should be applauded for the courage.
Satyapal Malik had categorically opposed the government's decision to implement agricultural laws and its malicious attitude towards the agitation from the very beginning.
At a time when Modi-Shah-Bhagwat's BJP is keeping a tight watch on the freedom of expression in the country, the condition of democracy within the BJP can be well understood. The situation is such that even the allied parties/leaders of BJP involved in the government do not have the courage to speak against any decision of the government.
Shiromani Akali Dal, a constituent of NDA, due to electoral concerns, raised its voice of protest only when a strong movement against agri-laws arose in Punjab. Then it had to look for a way out of the government and the coalition.
A chanting refrain goes on day and night in the mainstream and social media that Narendra Modi is beyond any criticism. In such an environment, Satyapal Malik's persistent antagonistic attitude against the government including Narendra Modi should be appreciated.
But with a caveat. He, being a constitutional authority, should have talked about other constitutional authorities such as the PM and the HM in a sober and decent language.
However, while paying him his due, it also needs to be kept in mind that after the Muzaffar Nagar riots, the BJP had made unprecedented electoral gains in western Uttar Pradesh. In reward for that achievement, and to keep it going, the BJP had made a deliberate venture of appeasement of the non-Muslim peasant castes of the region.
The appointment of Satyapal Malik as Governor was also part of the same venture. If the BJP loses its earnings in western Uttar Pradesh in the upcoming assembly elections due to the farmers' agitation, it is likely that it will not tolerate even a day's opposition by Satyapal Malik.
However, in such a situation, the path for Satyapal Malik to remain in the corridors of power may remain fairly open. After the defeat of the BJP in western Uttar Pradesh, the SP-RLD could send him to the Rajya Sabha when the opportunity arises.

Malik conveyed the message that he went to the extent of even risking a quarrel with the arrogant Prime Minister on the question of farmers

A special tendency is seen among socialists. Any socialist leader, involved with the BJP, Congress or any other party’s government, sometimes talks about public interest even if it is in a suppressed tone. Then the socialists attribute his behavior to his socialist past and shower him with praise.
Satyapal Malik is also called a former-socialist. His support for the peasant movement and his anti-government stance is applauded by some socialists by linking it to his past. But that is only one minor part of the story.
If anything in Satyapal Malik’s protest was actually related to his socialist inheritance, then he would have registered at least some protest against the indiscriminate corporatisation-privatization being carried out by this government.
Needless to say that all the labour and agricultural laws made by this government are in accordance with its policy of corporatization-privatization of every sector. The government has withdrawn the agri-laws under electoral pressure but it has not changed its policy.
If the government and its neo-liberal policies continue to remain, then in all probability, the agri-laws will sooner or later be implemented, maybe in another, altered form.
PS: The critical statement of Satyapal Malik about the Prime Minister and the Home Minister on the contentious issue of agri-laws placed him on top of the first page of Indian Express of January 3, 2022. The very next day he backtracked from his statement stating that it had been “misconstrued”. He lauded the PM and also stated that “Shah did not make any comment on the Prime Minister”.
This news dragged him to page 5 of the newspaper. By his flip Satyapal Malik himself has replied to those socialists who were praising him for a socialist attitude.
---
*Author taught Hindi at Delhi University

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov, the artist who survived Stalin's cultural purges

By Harsh Thakor* Sergei Vasilyevich Gerasimov (September 14, 1885 – April 20, 1964) was a Soviet artist, professor, academician, and teacher. His work was posthumously awarded the Lenin Prize, the highest artistic honour of the USSR. His paintings traced the development of socialist realism in the visual arts while retaining qualities drawn from impressionism. Gerasimov reconciled a lyrical approach to nature with the demands of Soviet socialist ideology.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

Development at what cost? The budget's blind spot for the environment

By Raj Kumar Sinha* The historical ills in the relationship between capital and the environment have now manifested in areas commonly referred to as the "environmental crisis." This includes global warming, the destruction of the ozone layer, the devastation of tropical forests, mass mortality of fish, species extinction, loss of biodiversity, poison seeping into the atmosphere and food, desertification, shrinking water supplies, lack of clean water, and radioactive pollution.

Public money, private profits: Crop insurance scheme as goldmine for corporates

By Vikas Meshram The farmer in India is not merely a food provider; he is the soul of the nation. For centuries, enduring natural calamities and bearing debt generation after generation while remaining loyal to the soil, this community now finds itself trapped in a different kind of crisis. In February 2016, the Modi government launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) with the stated objective of freeing farmers from the shackles of debt. It was an ambitious attempt to provide a strong safety net to cultivators repeatedly devastated by excessive rainfall, drought, and hailstorms.

Search This Blog