Booking a controversy

Former RAW chief Dulat’s latest book has kicked off a row surrounding former J&K chief minister Farooq Abdullah, writes Harvinder Ahuja

- Harvinder Ahuja

FOR days before the horrific terror act in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam, an altogether different subject generated intense heat and became the focus of acrimonious debates and verbal duels among Kashmir watchers.

The Chief Minister and the Spy, the latest book by ex-RAW chief AS Dulat, in which he talks about former chief minister Farooq Abdullah privately supporting the Centre's move on Article 370, also kicked a political storm as well. While his detractors and political foes grabbed the opportunity to slam Farooq for his ‘hypocrisy’; friends, family and supporters debunked the author, accusing him of indulging in cheap publicity to boost the sale of his book.

The trigger for the entire controversy was a report published in a prominent national daily, prior to the release of the book. The report mentioned that in 2019, when New Delhi scrapped Kashmir’s special status under Article 370, Farooq publicly condemned the move as a “betrayal.” Privately, however, he struck a different note, it claimed, quoting from the book. “We would have helped (pass the proposal). Why were we not taken into confidence?” he reportedly asked Dulat.

Without doubt, it’s a grave charge against Farooq Abdullah, who, according to the book itself, is “Kashmir’s tallest leader”. And coming from Dulat, the man who is considered Farooq/s closest friend and ally — a virtual alter ago according to some - makes it sensational. Not without reason, it was daggers-drawn from the moment the report was published. No one questioned whether it was a case of misreporting, or a deliberate mischief on the part of the book publisher. Nor did anyone try to find out what exactly was said by Farooq, in what context, when, and’why? It was just a barrage of charges and counter-charges.