Dulat responds to controversy over his book, says Farooq Abdullah can bridge gap between Delhi and Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 16: In response to the controversy surrounding his recent book, former RAW chief A S Dulat dismissed claims about Farooq Abdullah’s role in the abrogation of Article 370 as mere speculation.

Dulat refuted the allegations, saying, “Whatever is being said about Farooq Abdullah is not true. People should read the whole book; someone has taken a snippet and blown it out of proportion. All this is rubbish,” urging the public to examine the content of his book for clarity.

The controversy stems from earlier reports claiming that in the aftermath of the August 2019 constitutional changes, the Indian government informally requested Dulat to reach out to Abdullah, who was then under house arrest. According to excerpts from Dulat’s book, he was told by someone from Delhi to get in touch with Abdullah, with the understanding that he would not oppose the move publicly or speak on Pakistan. However, Dulat insists this was misrepresented, and the insinuations were untrue.

Describing NC President Farooq Abdullah as a pivotal political figure, Dulat said, “Farooq is a leader who can bridge the gap between Delhi and Kashmir.”

On the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, Dulat expressed skepticism, and said, “Statehood won’t be given. I don’t think so, at least not for a long time.” He further questioned the assurances given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, citing that despite prior claims, the statehood has not been restored. Dulat referenced discussions with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who reportedly met the Home Minister and was assured that statehood would be granted soon, but it had yet to materialise. (KDC)