Dullat’s Revelations Sure To Cause Dent To Abdullah Legacy In Kashmir

Srinagar: Former boss of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and ex-special director of the  Intelligence Bureau (IB) A.S. Dulat’s startling revelation in his book “The Chief Minister and The Spy”, claiming that National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah “privately backed” the Article 370 abrogation in 2019. A S Dulat (85) has stirred the ‘Hornet’s Nest’ by claiming that former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah had ‘secretly’ supported the abrogation of Article 370. The revelations are certain to cause a serious dent to the Sheikh legacy in Jammu and Kashmir in the power politics.

Importantly, the Sheikh family has been ruling Kashmir politics for almost seven decades with Sheikh Abdullah being the first nominated prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir and lastly in 1974 entered into Indira-Abdullah Accord and accepted to be the chief minister of the state and continued for seven years. Thereafter, his son Farooq Abdullah and subsequently his son Omar Abdullah continues to rule Jammu and Kashmir as first chief minister of Union Territory in-spite of the revocation of special status of the state; abrogation of Article 370, 35-A in 2019.

The Kashmiris have considered the abrogation of Article 370 as an assault on their identity and continuously demand the restoration of the special status of the state besides restoration of statehood.      

 Dulat has further disclosed that he was informally tasked by the Modi-led central government to establish contact with Abdullah while the veteran Kashmiri leader was under house arrest in 2019. “Shortly after Article 370 was scrapped, someone from the Government of India requested me to reach out to Farooq,” Dullat stated.

He further revealed that Abdullah’s release was tied to two unspoken conditions: refraining from criticizing the revocation of J&K’s special status and avoiding any reference to Pakistan. “I don’t recall if I spelled it out clearly, but Farooq was wise enough to grasp the message,” Dulat added.

The former spymaster’s remarks echo themes from his latest book, where he explores Abdullah’s political maneuvers, often marked by pragmatism and controversy. The National Conference, a party that has vocally opposed the 2019 constitutional changes, has yet to issue a response to these claims.

As one of the Valley’s most seasoned politicians, Abdullah’s political journey continues to generate debate. Dulat’s revelations now add a fresh and complex dimension to his already eventful legacy. 

Several opposition leaders took to the micro-blogging site, X and reacted to the revelation. Peoples Conference (PC) President and MLA Handwara, Sajad Gani Lone in a post said that he was not surprised at the revelation and that the August 4, 2019 meeting of incumbent Chief minister Farooq Abdullah with the PM was never a mystery for him.

“Dulat Sahib has revealed in his upcoming book that Farooq Sahib privately supported the abrogation of Article 370. Coming from Dulat sahib makes this revelation very credible. Dulat sahib is the closest ally of and friend of Farooq sahib. Virtually his alter ego. Incidentally Dulat Sahib is the famed Uncle of the infamous Uncles and Aunties Brigade of Delhi,” Lone wrote on X.

Of course NC will deny it. Call it yet another conspiracy against NC. They have perfected playing the victim card, he said, adding that “Uncle and Aunties will take cognisance of my tweet and other such tweets and implore upon BJP to teach such tweeters a lesson.”

“Out here, their MLAs will privately visit LOP Sunil Sharma and tell him that they are brothers separated at the Kumbh Mela. That the theatre they enact in Assembly and outside assembly is in national interest. I personally am not surprised at this revelation. The August 4 2019 meeting of CM sahib and Farooq sahib with the PM was never a mystery for me. I can visualise Farooq sahib saying — Humey roney deejiye— Aap apna kaam karein— hum aap kay Saath hain— It now seems 2024 was a prize for services rendered in 2019. Of course in national interest,” he wrote.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Iltija Mufti said that it’s clear that Farooq Abdullah chose to stay in Kashmir instead of the Parliament to help normalise gutting of J&Ks constitution & subsequent betrayal.

“Dulat sahab an ardent Abdullah supporter has shared how Farooq sahab agreed with Delhi’s illegal move of abrogating Article 370. There were already doubts about what transpired between the Abdullahs & PM days before J&Ks special status was revoked. With this it’s clear that Farooq sahab chose to stay in Kashmir instead of the Parliament to help normalise gutting of J&Ks constitution & subsequent betrayal,” she wrote on X.

When the BJP-led central government abrogated Article 370 in 2019 and divided and downgraded Jammu and Kashmir into two federally controlled territories, Kashmir politicians, including the father-son duo from National Conference, had accused New Delhi of betrayal, especially the way the decision was carried out.

However, former Research and Analysis Wing chief A.S. Dullat, in his new book ‘The Chief Minister and the Spy – An Unlikely Friendship’, claims Farooq was willing to “work with Delhi” had he been consulted. Not only that, Farooq, according to Dulat, told him that his party National Conference, “could even have had the proposal passed in the legislative assembly in Jammu and Kashmir”.

National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq, while speaking to media persons, denied that Farooq supported the 370 abrogation, terming the revelations in the book as “mere figment of imagination”.

“If you look at the book and what he writes in it, he contradicts his own words. He writes that the government of India waited for seven months to gauge the sense of Farooq Abdullah when he was in custody. But he set up the PAGD after coming out of jail to challenge the move,” said Sadiq.

The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a grouping of political parties, was set to demand revocation of the abrogation of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. But it later lost steam with the exit of several parties. Sadiq said Dullat’s previous book targeted Peoples Democratic Party patron and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayed. “The author wants to stay relevant, and the book is nothing but a mere figment of imagination,” he added.