"I have been misquoted, my book is full of praise for Farooq Abdullah, there is nothing against him": Former RAW chief AS Dulat

New Delhi [India], April 16 (ANI):  Amid a political storm in Jammu and Kashmir over some mentions concerning Farooq Abdullah in his new book ‘The Chief Minister and the Spy’, former RAW Chief Amarjit Singh Dulat has said that the “book is full of praise” for the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and has “nothing against him”.

Dulat, a former IPS officer, who served both the Intelligence Bureau and RAW and has long experience of working in and on Kashmir, said the book is an appreciation and not a critique of the former Chief Minister. “I have been misquoted, misrepresented,” he told ANI.

Asked about media reports citing his book that Farooq Abdullah privately backed the Centre’s move concerning abrogation of Article 370, Dulat said he has been misquoted. “Absolutely misquoted. Nothing like this happened.”

“My book is full of praise for Dr Farooq (Abdullah). There is nothing against him in the book. Please read it,” Dulat told ANI.     

Dulat was asked about reported remarks of Farooq Abdullah, in which the senior National Conference leader has talked of “inaccuracies” in the book and also said “a friend doesn’t write like this”.

Dulat was also asked about the claims in his book concerning abrogation of Article 370 and his reported mention that just as the BJP had never hidden its intentions towards Kashmir concerning Article 370, “so, too, had Farooq been extremely open about his willingness to work with Delhi”.

“My only comment is that the book is an appreciation, not critique of Farooq (Abdullah),” Dulat told ANI.  

Opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir have slammed Farooq Abdullah over reports concerning Dulat’s book. 

J-K People's Conference chief Sajad Lone said he is not surprised. “We had an idea about this earlier. Dulat Sahab was considered very close to Farooq Sahab. It is a common opinion that the biggest lawyer of Farooq Sahab in Delhi is Dulat Sahab. When he says that Article 370 (abrogation) was Farooq Abdullah's consent or from 2020 to 2023, it was his biggest wish to align with BJP, it has a lot of credibility," Lone told ANI.

PDP MLA Waheed Para said National Conference and Farooq Abdullah should clarify on the matter. 

"Dulat sahib has written in his book that Farooq Abdullah was onboard with the August 5, 2019 decision and privately supported the abrogation of Article 370 (in J&K). We want the National Conference and Farooq Sahib to give clarity on this...We had an alliance with the BJP, but they (National Conference) did a deal with the BJP. Everything that has been happening in Jammu and Kashmir is part of a pattern; the historical betrayals the National Conference leadership has been doing with the J&K, they have been running the same script," he said. 

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq,MLA, alleged an attempt was being made to create a controversy to sell the book. 

“In the book, he says that the Central government kept an eye on Farooq Abdullah for seven months...I think this is just an attempt to create a controversy...It is just a figment of imagination. He is trying to sell his book, and what better than creating a controversy related to Jammu and Kashmir? I feel there is nothing to it. What happened in 2019 was a betrayal for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We believe that was wrong. We were the only ones who went to Supreme Court to fight against Article 370," he said.

Dulat was appointed adviser on Kashmir in the Prime Minister's Office after his retirement and served in the role from January 2001 to May 2004.

At the IB he headed the Kashmir Group during the turbulent 1990s. (ANI)