Avinash Azad
In a stunning disclosure with geopolitical ramifications, former RAW chief A.S. Dulat has revealed that Dr. Farooq Abdullah, former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir and one of the tallest Kashmiri leaders of the post-Partition era, privately expressed a willingness to help New Delhi abrogate Article 370 — provided he had been taken into confidence.
The revelation came during a high-voltage interview with veteran journalist Karan Thapar, part of a conversation centered on Dulat’s new book The Chief Minister and the Spy, which chronicles his decades-long relationship with Dr. Abdullah.
“We could have helped Delhi even in this,” Dulat quotes Farooq as saying during a private conversation in 2020 — shortly after the leader was released from house arrest in the aftermath of Article 370’s abrogation. While Dulat insists the statement must be read in the context of betrayal and heartbreak, the implication that Farooq Abdullah — often seen as the symbolic guardian of Kashmir’s autonomy — may have facilitated its removal if treated differently by the Centre, is likely to raise political and diplomatic eyebrows. Karan Thapar, pressing Dulat on whether Dr. Abdullah would have wanted such a private moment shared publicly, asked: “Would he be happy you made this known — that he could’ve helped Delhi abrogate Article 370?”
Dulat replied, “I don’t think Dr. Saab will be unhappy. He’s a frank man. And if he is, he’ll tell me.” Still, the moment marks an extraordinary turn in Kashmir’s political narrative — not only because of what was said, but because of who said it. A.S. Dulat is no ordinary observer. As a former RAW chief and point man on Kashmir during the Vajpayee years, his insights often blur the line between intelligence, diplomacy, and statecraft.
Not Treason, But Tragedy
Dulat is quick to clarify: Farooq’s statement wasn’t an offer of collusion, but a lament over the manner in which Delhi handled the historic decision. “He was heartbroken. After everything they’d done for India — being locked up, humiliated — this is what his grandchildren were asking him: ‘Is this the India we stood by?’” But the political fallout from such a comment — no matter the emotional context — could be enormous.
Father and Son, A Strained Dynamic
The interview goes beyond geopolitics into the private corridors of the Abdullah family. Dulat reveals that Dr. Abdullah’s relationship with his son Omar Abdullah has at times been strained — politically and personally.
He recounts how Omar distanced himself from Farooq while campaigning in 2002, invoking his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah instead. “Rubbishing Farooq was counterproductive,” Dulat writes, suggesting Omar’s strategy failed to resonate with the Kashmiri electorate. Dulat also touches on Omar’s marriage to Piyal, describing it as a source of family tension. “Farooq had no issue with Piyal. But she didn’t adjust to the family, and Omar didn’t see what was happening. That soured the relationship.”
The Man, the Myth, the Friend
Despite these revelations, Dulat’s portrayal of Farooq Abdullah remains intensely affectionate. He calls him the “most lovable person in his family,” and perhaps India’s tallest political figure today. “I never dared to call myself his friend,” says Dulat. “But maybe over time, something deeper developed.” He recalls the moment Farooq, eyes filled with tears, watched Omar being sworn in as Chief Minister — a father’s pride triumphing over years of political tension.
What This Means For a region still grappling with the shockwaves of August 5, 2019, Dulat’s remarks invite difficult questions: Could Article 370’s revocation have been less divisive? Could consensus have been built rather than imposed? And most importantly —what does it say that the man most associated with Kashmir’s autonomy was privately willing to help dismantle it? Whether a moment of private despair or a missed opportunity for dialogue, Dulat’s account rewrites part of the story — and history may never read it the same again.
