SRINAGAR: In a dramatic re-examination of Kashmir’s political saga, former Intelligence Chief A.S. Dulat’s new book, The Chief Minister and the Spy, offers a surprising perspective on Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s alleged behind-the-scenes position during the 2019 annulment of Jammu & Kashmir’s special status.
Back in 2019, as the Indian government stripped the erstwhile state of its autonomy under Article 370, National Conference stalwart Dr. Farooq Abdullah called it a “betrayal” in public. Yet, according to Dulat, the real story was more nuanced. Privately, Farooq questioned why his party wasn’t consulted beforehand, reportedly telling Dulat, “We would have cooperated… why weren’t we brought in?”
The account notes that just before the constitutional shift, both Farooq and his son Omar Abdullah met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the contents of that conversation remain cloaked in secrecy, what followed was Farooq’s seven-month house detention. During that period, Delhi reportedly assessed his willingness to adapt to the changing political reality. Dulat states the government quietly expected him to accept the altered landscape.
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The memoir doesn’t merely recount incidents—it paints a layered narrative of power struggles, personal bargains, and a legacy marked by both political resilience and shifting loyalties. From Indira Gandhi’s 1984 dismissal of Farooq’s government—an episode the leader reportedly never overcame—to Vajpayee’s attempts to promote Omar as the new face of Kashmir while dangling a vice-presidential bait before the elder Abdullah, Dulat’s version reveals a pattern of overtures and strategic manipulation.
Despite the setbacks, the government maintained a line of dialogue with Farooq, guided by an understanding of his historical baggage, symbolic stature, and capacity for calculated compromise. Dulat asserts that once leaders in Delhi grasped the depth of Farooq’s political survival instinct, they found it easier to maneuver him into tacit cooperation.
Yet, the relationship wasn’t always smooth. After his release in early 2020, Farooq declined to publicly endorse the government’s decision, instead stating that he would speak only in Parliament. Simultaneously, he quietly coalesced opposition forces through the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, bringing together figures like Mehbooba Mufti in a renewed call for restoring J&K’s autonomy—a demand that still echoes today.
Dulat’s book ultimately suggests that Kashmir’s enduring instability may stem less from ideological gaps and more from broken promises, missed reconciliations, and leaders caught between principle and political realism. Farooq, he writes, once told him: “You in Delhi think this is chess—but even pawns here remember everything.”
Reacting to Dulat’s disclosures, People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone posted on X, calling the revelations “credible” given Dulat’s proximity to the Abdullahs, whom he described as “virtually his alter ego.” Lone sarcastically dubbed Dulat the “Uncle of Delhi’s infamous Uncles and Aunties Brigade,” accusing the NC of perfecting the “victimhood routine” and secretly courting political favors behind the scenes.
He also alleged a political quid pro quo, suggesting the Abdullahs’ 2019 cooperation led to their political positioning in 2024. “I always knew the August 4, 2019 meeting wasn’t a mystery,” Lone wrote, adding that Farooq likely assured Modi, “Let us cry in public—you go ahead, we’re with you.”
Echoing similar skepticism, PDP’s Iltija Mufti posted that Dulat’s admiration for Farooq could no longer conceal the truth. “With this, it’s clear,” she wrote, “Farooq chose silence in Kashmir over defiance in Parliament, legitimizing the betrayal of our Constitution.”
Together, these accounts challenge long-held perceptions and reveal how trust, ambition, and political theatre continue to shape the volatile narrative of Kashmir.
