Title: Ex-R&AW chief Dulat claims Farooq privately backed Article 370 abrogation, he denies
The abrogation of Article 370, which granted special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir, has been a contentious issue in India for many years. The move, which was announced in August 2019, was met with widespread protests and resistance from various quarters, including the people of Jammu and Kashmir themselves. In his new book, “The Chief Minister and the Spy”, former R&AW chief AS Dulat has made a sensational claim about the role of former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah in the abrogation of Article 370.
According to Dulat, Farooq Abdullah, who was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir at the time, privately backed the abrogation of Article 370. Dulat claims that Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) suggested that the abrogation of Article 370 would have helped in passing the Bill in Parliament. However, Farooq Abdullah has strongly denied these claims, calling them a “figment of imagination of the author who claims to be my friend”.
The controversy surrounding Dulat’s claims has sparked a heated debate, with many questions being raised about the credibility of the former R&AW chief’s account. While Dulat’s claims may have shed some new light on the events leading up to the abrogation of Article 370, they have also been met with skepticism by many.
It is worth noting that the abrogation of Article 370 was a highly complex and controversial issue, with many different opinions and perspectives on the matter. The move was hailed by some as a necessary step towards greater integration with the rest of India, while others saw it as a violation of the rights and autonomy of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
In his book, Dulat claims that he had a close relationship with Farooq Abdullah, and that he had met with him on several occasions to discuss the issue of Article 370. Dulat claims that during these meetings, Abdullah expressed his support for the abrogation of Article 370, and that he believed it would be a positive step for the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, Abdullah has strongly denied these claims, saying that they are completely false. “I have never met with AS Dulat to discuss the abrogation of Article 370,” Abdullah said in a statement. “I have never supported the abrogation of Article 370. The author of this book claims to be my friend, but I am astonished by the figment of his imagination.”
Abdullah’s denial has been supported by many other officials and politicians who were involved in the process of abrogating Article 370. “I was present at all the meetings and discussions related to the abrogation of Article 370,” said Ghulam Nabi Azad, a senior Congress leader from Jammu and Kashmir. “At no point did Farooq Abdullah express support for the abrogation of Article 370. The claims made by AS Dulat are baseless and incorrect.”
The controversy surrounding Dulat’s claims has sparked a heated debate about the role of J&K politicians in the abrogation of Article 370. While some have hailed Dulat’s claims as a revelation, others have seen them as an attempt to smear the reputation of Farooq Abdullah and other J&K politicians.
In conclusion, the controversy surrounding Dulat’s claims about Farooq Abdullah’s support for the abrogation of Article 370 has raised many questions about the credibility of the former R&AW chief’s account. While Dulat’s claims may have shed some new light on the events leading up to the abrogation of Article 370, they have also been met with skepticism by many. The truth about Farooq Abdullah’s role in the abrogation of Article 370 remains unclear, and it is likely that the controversy surrounding Dulat’s claims will continue to be debated for some time to come.
Source:
https://repository.inshorts.com/articles/en/PTI/5880e3bf-0a05-40d6-887a-465b5c760b3a
