Chandigarh (Haryana): Continuing his tirade against the BJP government, Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik has alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "very arrogant" during a meeting with him on farmer protests and that he ended up having an argument with the PM.
Malik made the allegations during a function in Haryana on Sunday.
Part of the video of his speech was shared by Congress on its official Twitter handle.
“Main jab kisano ke mamle me Pradhan Mantri ji se milane gaya, to meri panch minute mein ladai ho gayi unse. Woh bahut ghamand mein the. Jab maine unse kaha, hamare 500 log mar gaye… to usne kaha, mere liye mare hain? (Maine) kaha aapke liye hi to mare the, jo aap raja bane huye ho… Mera jhagda ho gaya. Unhone kaha aab aap Amit Shah se mil lo. Main Amit Shah se mila (When I met the PM on farmers' issue, I had an argument with him in five minute. He showed a lot of arrogance when I asked that 500 people had died. To which he said, did they die for me? I told him they died for you since you are the king...I had an argument with him. He then asked me to meet Amit Shah, so I did)," Malik said.
The former J&K governor is known to make such jarring remarks. His tenure in J&K especially his statements before and after the 370 abrogation made the regional opposition parties call him an "outright liar".
Reacting to his latest remarks, former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: "This man was their hatchet man in J&K now he bites that hand that fed him. The people of J&K can certify the untrustworthiness of Mr Malik."
During the Haryana event, Malik said that the Centre will have to work with honesty to withdraw cases registered against farmers during the agriculture laws protest and give a legal framework to MSP for crops.
"The farmers' agitation has only been suspended, and if there is any injustice, it will start again," he told reporters on the sidelines of the event in Charkhi Dadri.
"The government will have to work with honesty to withdraw the cases against the farmers and give a legal framework (guarantee) on MSP. This is the government's responsibility," he said in response to a question.
"But if the government thinks the agitation has ended, it is not so. It has only been suspended. If there is injustice or if there are any excesses with farmers, then the stir will start again," he added.
Taking advantage of the opportunity after the farm laws have been repealed, farmers should get decisions made in their favour such as a legal framework for MSP, Malik said.
On his remark that he was not scared of being asked to step down from his post, Malik said, "I am always with farmers."
Appointed governor -- in Jammu and Kashmir and Goa, before being posted to Meghalaya -- during Narendra Modi's term as prime minister, Malik has been taking swipes at the government.
Read: I was ready to quit, but not giving up support to farmers: Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik
