Srinagar, Apr 16 (UNI) National Conference (NC) patron and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah had privately endorsed abrogation of Article 370 and even expressed readiness to "help" in the process if taken into "confidence", former head of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) A.S. Dulat has reportedly claimed in his latest book, triggering sharp reactions from the political opponents.
Dulat, who enjoys very close relations with Farooq Abdullah, quotes the NC leader in the book 'The Chief Minister and the Spy' as saying, “We would have helped (pass the proposal). Why were we not taken into confidence?”
Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was suddenly revoked by the Modi government on August 4, 2019, surprising everyone.
Hours before that, Farooq Abdullah and other top political and other leaders were put under house arrest in the Valley and the detention continued for several months.
Interestingly, days before the abrogation, Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The book, according to its excerpts published by The Hindustan Times newspaper, mentions that meeting too.
"What transpired...nobody will ever know," the former spy chief writes.
The report and the claim made by Dulat evoked sharp reactions from the NC's political opponents, who alleged "betrayal" by Farooq Abdullah.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti said it is clear that Farooq Abdullah chose to stay in Kashmir instead of the Parliament to “help normalise gutting of J&Ks constitution & subsequent betrayal.”
Iltija, who is the daughter of PDP supremo and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, posted on X: “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 There were already doubts about what transpired between the Abdullahs & PM days before J&Ks special status was revoked.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."
Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference chairman Sajad Lone said he was not surprised by the disclosure.
Taking to social media, Lone described Dulat as the “closest ally” and “virtually the alter ego” of Farooq Abdullah, thereby lending significant weight to the former spymaster’s assertion. “Coming from Dulat sahib makes this revelation very credible,” Lone wrote on X.
He suggested that the National Conference would predictably dismiss the revelation, terming it “yet another conspiracy” and accused the party of consistently playing the “victim card.”
The PC chief went further to suggest that the National Conference may have been rewarded in the 2024 electoral cycle for its cooperation in 2019.
“…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.
Former NC leader and Ex-Mayor of Srinagar Junaid Mattu also took a dig at the NC.
“Something seems to have fallen out of NC’s bag YET AGAIN and it does seem to be a cat. Commiserations to the vulnerable, gullible people of Kashmir!,” Mattu said.
While there was no reaction from Farooq Abdullah, his daughter Safia Abdullah posted on X: "I have never trusted Dulat as far as I could throw him. He was always a spy whose loyalty was only to himself. He never cared who he threw under the bus with his previous books."
She goes on to add: "I have read this book and he has played a fast and loose with the truth once again."
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