Govt transfers Satya Pal Malik to Goa; Congress calls it his vacation after 'dismembering' J&K

New Delhi: A day after the Central government relieved Satya Pal Malik from the post of Jammu and Kashmir Governor and transferred him to Goa, Congress on Saturday tore into the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government accusing it of sending Malik to a vacation after 'unconstitutionally dismembering of the Valley'.

Reacting to the news of Satya Pal Malik's imminent transfer to Goa, senior Congress leader Manish Tewari took to his Twitter handle and said, "For his ‘Meritorious’ Services in Unconstitutionally dismembering the state of Jammu & Kashmir His Excellency Sat Pal Malik has been sent on R&R - Rest & Recreation to Goa - Enjoy Sire."

Earlier on Friday, the government transferred Malik to



Goa after appointing new lieutenant governors (LG) for the newly-created Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Malik was appointed as the governor of undivided J&K in August last year.

Radha Krishan Mathur was appointed the new LG of Ladakh while Girish Chandra Murmu was handed the charge of Jammu and Kashmir. The two union territories will officially come into effect on October 31.

Back on August 6, the Central government announced its decision to abrogate Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. While making the announcement in the Lok Sabha, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also said that the state will be further divided into two union territories - Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.