NDTV Explains: Ex-Spy Chief's Explosive Claim, Abdullahs' 'Frenemy' Question

Explosive claims in a memoir by former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief AS Dulat, titled 'The Chief Minister and the Spy', has set off a fierce war of words among the political elite of Jammu and Kashmir. At the centre of this tempest are National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah, and People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti.

Mr Dulat's book claims that Farooq Abdullah "privately supported" the abrogation of Article 370, the constitutional provision that granted the region special status until it was repealed by the Centre on August 5, 2019.

The claim drew an immediate and visceral reaction from Farooq Abdullah, who dismissed the assertion as a "cheap stunt" intended solely to boost book sales. Mr Abdullah, 87, described Mr Dulat's account as "a figment of imagination" and claimed that it was so riddled with inaccuracies that he abandoned reading it partway through.

Mr Abdullah said that both he and his son Omar were detained in the days surrounding the constitutional change in 2019 - a fact he believes contradicts any suggestion of private consent.

The paragraph in question from Mr Dulat's memoir reads: "Farooq was terribly hurt. Just as the BJP has never hidden its intention towards Kashmir and as far as Article 370 was concerned, so too had Farooq been extremely open about his willingness to work with Delhi. Maybe, he said, the National Conference could even have the proposal passed in the assembly. We would have helped, he told me when I met him in 2020. Why were we not taken into confidence?"

Mr Abdullah criticised Mr Dulat's suggestion that his party could have helped pass a resolution supporting the abrogation in the Assembly. "A benchmark of common sense should have been adopted by the author while penning the so-called memoir. He should have remembered that there was no assembly in 2018 as it had been dissolved," he said.

Mehbooba Mufti's Counter-Offensive

The book also rekindled political tensions with the PDP, led by Mehbooba Mufti. Addressing a party convention in Srinagar, Ms Mufti said she was not surprised by Mr Dulat's claims.

"I am not surprised after reading that as it has been the National Conference's stance that they can do anything for power. It has been going on since 1947 - at times, they wanted to come with India given that they were in power; if not, they wanted to have a discussion. He (Sheikh Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah's father) was in jail for 22 years along with the people, but when they came to power, the discussion ended. How rigging was done in 1987 for the Chair, and that resulted in guns coming to the valley, and it took lakhs of our young lives," Ms Mufti said.

The PDP chief then turned the spotlight onto Omar Abdullah, claiming he had approached Union Home Minister Amit Shah in 2014 for government formation, allegedly offering unconditional support from the NC.

"When PDP and BJP were in talks, Omar Abdullah went to Delhi many times and offered them unconditional support," she claimed.

Omar Abdullah Strikes Back

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, incensed by Mr Mufti's remarks, responded sharply. "If Mehbooba Mufti believes everything that Mr Dulat writes is true, then should we also consider what he wrote about her father in his first book as true?" he asked reporters.

Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Ms Mufti's father, was also a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and had his political decisions scrutinised in Mr Dulat's previous memoir. Omar Abdullah accused Mr Dulat of a pattern of exaggeration to generate publicity for his books. "With friends like this, who needs enemies?" he asked.

He also claimed that Farooq Abdullah had finally seen through Dulat's motivations.

"In his first book too he had spared no one. In this book as well, he has left no stone unturned in belittling Farooq sahib. Well, at least now, Farooq sahib has finally understood Dulat's true nature. He should no longer remain under the illusion that when the book is released, Farooq sahib will stand by him," he said.

Claims of Influence

Mr Dulat's influence over Farooq Abdullah, at least as per the former spy's account, included advice on Cabinet formation in 1996 and encouragement to return to electoral politics. Mr Abdullah countered these claims by crediting former US Ambassador Frank Wisner for urging him to re-enter politics.

"Dulat's claim that the National Conference wanted to get close to the BJP is an absolute lie. I am not the one who will patch up with a party that is out and out to destroy my party," Mr Abdullah said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

He denied suggestions that he followed Mr Dulat's advice routinely. "I am a man of my own mind. I only decide. I am not anyone's puppet," he said.

Ex-Spy's Account

In an interview with NDTV, Mr Dulat attempted to soften the blow. He described his book as largely favourable toward Mr Abdullah, arguing that his words have been taken out of context.

"This book is not a critique of Farooq Abdullah. This book is an appreciation of Farooq Abdullah," the former RAW chief told NDTV.

"Most of what I have written is laudatory of Farooq. I don't know why people have picked up one paragraph and misinterpreted it," he said. "What needs to be understood here is that Farooq has always worked with Delhi, he has always been with India, he is the ultimate nationalist in Kashmir and if people do not understand that, it is sad."

Excerpts From The Book

On Article 370

Farooq was terribly hurt. Just as the BJP had never hidden its intentions towards Kashmir as far as Article 370 was concerned, so, too, had Farooq been extremely open about his willingness to work with Delhi. Maybe, he said, the NC could even have had the proposal passed in the legislative assembly in Jammu and Kashmir. 'We would have helped,' he told me when I met him in 2020. 'Why were we not taken into confidence?'

Well, since April 2019, Farooq had warned of an impending political crisis in Kashmir. 'If it [India] does not pay heed to the wishes of the people, the consequences are grave,' he said. 'We will fight for the rights of people ...'

When he spoke to me about the abrogation later, he was forthright, 'Kar lo agar karna hai,' he said, somewhat bitterly. 'Par yeh arrest kyu karna tha?' (Do it if you must, but why arrest us?)

'Main aaya hun toh samajh lo ki Dilli baat karna chahti hai,' I told him. (Now that I've come, you may take it that Delhi wants to talk to you.) 'Haan,' he said. 'Main samajh gaya.' (Yes, I understand that.)

On Farooq Abdullah:

Found him reflective and introspective - that previous edge of imperious urgency had gone. It was not the most exhilarating two hours I had spent with him, but eventually, my time was up and I had to go. Normally, Doctor sahib does not permit anyone the luxury of spending two hours with him, but like I said, loneliness does strange things to a person.

On Rahul Gandhi

Farooq, who walked with Rahul during the yatra, was impressed. Here, he felt, was a young leader capable of taking the country forward in the best sense of the word. He telephoned me shortly after. I remember it was around five o'clock in the evening, and I was sitting and having my evening tea. He sounded energised, 'You know, I walked with this boy today. When the walk ended and he hugged me, I've not felt so emotional in a long time.' It's a rare human being who can make Farooq Abdullah emotional.

On Abdullah Family

In 2020, Farooq had quietly told me, 'Our family has always been with India. We will remain with India. That's how I brought up my own children. That's what I taught them. But now, today, my grandchildren ask me - is this the India you want us to be with?' In fact, one of his children also said that she no longer felt Indian but only Kashmiri.

As the years have passed, father and son have shared a fantastic relationship on the surface. But their politics has been quite different, in their method and process, if not in their ideology. Farooq has always been the quintessential Kashmiri politician, seen everywhere all the time. He has what the Kashmiris called lachak - the flexibility and charm that is important to conducting politics. He is 100 per cent Indian and more than 100 per cent Kashmiri.

Omar, on the other hand, presents a picture of contrasts: 100 per cent Indian, but only 50 per cent Kashmiri, and 50 per cent still the head boy of Sanawar. Apart from his youth and freshness, he's straighter, much more open than anyone else in Kashmir. In addition, he's correct and honest, a trait that has not always gone down well in his state.

Omar seemed to have forgotten that if it hadn't been for his father, he would not have become chief minister. Ultimately, his repeated reference to Sheikh Sahib while ignoring his own father did not go down well in Kashmir. Rubbishing Farooq was counterproductive.