Ex-R&AW chief Dulat claims Farooq privately backed Article 370 abrogation, he denies
The abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was a highly contentious issue in India. The move, taken by the Narendra Modi-led government in August 2019, sparked widespread protests and criticism from various quarters. Recently, a new twist has emerged in the controversy, with former R&AW chief AS Dulat claiming in his new book that former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah privately backed the abrogation of Article 370.
Dulat, who served as the chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), India’s external intelligence agency, has written a book titled “The Chief Minister and the Spy”. In the book, he claims that Abdullah, who was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir at the time, had privately expressed his support for the abrogation of Article 370.
According to Dulat, Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) suggested that if the party supported the move, it would have helped in passing the Bill. Dulat claims that Abdullah’s support was conditional, and he wanted to be assured that the Centre would ensure the protection of the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, Abdullah has denied Dulat’s claims, calling them a “figment of imagination of the author who claims to be my friend”. In a statement, Abdullah said that he had never discussed the issue of Article 370 with Dulat, and that the claims made in the book were baseless.
Abdullah’s denial has sparked a fresh debate, with many questioning the accuracy of Dulat’s claims. While Dulat has been a prominent figure in Indian intelligence circles, his claims have not been corroborated by any other sources. Abdullah’s party, the NC, has also denied the claims, saying that they were “baseless and fabricated”.
The controversy surrounding Article 370 has been a contentious issue in Indian politics for years. The special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir was seen as a symbol of the state’s distinct identity and autonomy. However, many saw it as an obstacle to national integration and a symbol of discrimination against other states in the country.
The Modi government’s decision to abrogate Article 370 was seen as a major move to integrate Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of the country. The move was widely criticized by opposition parties and many civil society groups, who saw it as a violation of the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The controversy surrounding Dulat’s claims has raised questions about the accuracy of the book and the credibility of the author. While Dulat is a well-known figure in Indian intelligence circles, his claims have not been corroborated by any other sources. Abdullah’s denial has also raised doubts about the veracity of the claims.
The controversy has also highlighted the complex and sensitive nature of the issue of Article 370. The move to abrogate the article was seen as a major step towards national integration, but it was also seen as a violation of the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The controversy surrounding Dulat’s claims has added to the complexity of the issue, and has raised questions about the accuracy of the information presented in the book.
In conclusion, the controversy surrounding Dulat’s claims about Farooq Abdullah’s support for the abrogation of Article 370 highlights the complex and sensitive nature of the issue. While Dulat’s claims have sparked a fresh debate, they have also raised questions about the accuracy of the information presented in the book. The controversy has added to the complexity of the issue, and has raised questions about the credibility of the author and the accuracy of the claims.
Source: https://repository.inshorts.com/articles/en/PTI/5880e3bf-0a05-40d6-887a-465b5c760b3a
