Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, who stoked a controversy by asking militants to stop killing innocent people and instead rise against “those who have looted the wealth of Kashmir for years”, said he made the statement “in a fit of rage”.

“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 a tourism function in Kargil of Ladakh region.

The Governor explained guns have never been the solution to problems. “There was an outfit called LTTE in Sri Lanka and it had support as well but it has also been finished,” he said.

Slamming the comment, former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: “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 & kangaroo courts.”

As his comments came under fire, Malik said: “Whatever I said was in a fit of anger and frustration due to rampant corruption here. As Governor, I should have not made such a comment, but my personal feeling is the same as I said. Many political leaders and big bureaucrats are steeped in corruption here.”

Reacting to Omar Abdulla’s comment, the Governor said: “He is a political juvenile tweeting on everything, see the reaction to his tweets and you will find out.”

This is not the first time Malik’s comments have created a furore. Earlier this year, Malik said PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti “should not be taken seriously” after she demanded action against an Army officer who allegedly subjected a man from Pulwama to torture and threatened to kill him in an encounter.

He had also come under fire after political parties accused him of considering changes to the legislation governing permanent resident certificates (PRCs) in the state.