Farooq Abdullah’s Alleged Offer to Help Scrap Article 370: A Political Storm in Kashmir

A Surprising Claim

In his latest book, former Indian spy chief Amarjit Singh Dulat asserts that Farooq Abdullah, Kashmir’s top politician, proposed assisting the Modi government in revoking Jammu and Kashmir’s special status if they trusted him.

• Abdullah reportedly made this suggestion during a clandestine meeting with Dulat in early 2020.
• At the time, Abdullah was detained under the Public Safety Act, along with other Kashmiri political leaders, following the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370 and divide the state into two union territories.

Abdullah’s Denial and Feeling of Betrayal

Abdullah and his National Conference party deny Dulat’s claims. Abdullah questioned why they would betray Article 370 when they had passed a resolution seeking autonomy with a two-thirds majority in the Assembly in 2000.

• Abdullah expressed his sense of betrayal at Dulat’s claims, saying, “A friend can’t write like this… He has written such things which are not true…”

Political Consequences and Accusations

Dulat’s revelations have ignited a political storm in Kashmir, with opposition parties accusing the National Conference of betraying the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

• The Peoples Democratic Party and Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference have criticized the National Conference for being complicit in the people’s disempowerment.

Dulat’s Viewpoint and Influence

Dulat’s involvement with Kashmir dates back to the early 1990s when he held top positions in India’s primary intelligence agencies. He has managed to engage with every political opinion shade in Jammu and Kashmir, including militants and separatists.

• However, his perspective of Kashmiris has been criticized for being patronizing, with some accusing him of spreading carefully crafted half-truths.

A Challenged National Conference

The book’s revelations come at a difficult time for Abdullah’s ruling National Conference, which is caught between an unyielding BJP-led Centre and a massive popular mandate.

• The party has been unable to fulfill its election manifesto, including the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s revoked autonomy and statehood.
• The Centre’s appointed Lieutenant Governor administration has shown little regard to the National Conference’s election manifesto, causing embarrassment for the party.

Supporting BJP’s Agenda?

The Omar Abdullah government has faced allegations of tacitly supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party’s agenda, including refusing to allow a resolution against the newly amended Waqf (Amendment) Act.

• The government’s six-month tenure is being viewed as “normalizing” the post August 5, 2019 identity and status of Jammu and Kashmir.