Last Updated:April 16, 2025, 13:13 IST

In an explosive claim, ex-RAW chief AS Dulat said in his new book that Farooq Abdullah may have publicly called abrogation of Article 370 “betrayal”, however, he backed the move in private.

Farooq Abdullah backed Article 370 move, claims Dulat’s book (PTI Image)

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, in public, has repeatedly voiced his opposition to the abrogation of Article 370 from the Constitution that gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir, but in private, he backed the Centre’s move, former RAW chief AS Dulat has made an explosive claim in his new book, ‘The Chief Minister and the Spy’.

In his public speeches and media interactions, Abdullah repeatedly called the Modi government’s August 5, 2019, step a “betrayal”; however, he sang a different tune in private, according to the book that has made explosive claims, Hindustan Times reported.

However, his party has denied the claims, claiming that the “author wants to make the book sensational”.

What Did AS Dulat Say About Farooq Abdullah In His Book?

“We would have helped (pass the proposal). Why were we not taken into confidence?” Abdullah asked Dulat, the book said.

Abdullah and his son (now the J&K Chief Minister) Omar had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi – a meeting which came days before the Centre’s historic move, the secrecy of which was maintained until the last moment when the Bill was presented in the Parliament.

“What transpired…nobody will ever know,” Dulat wrote in his book.

After the passage of the Bill, Abdullah was detained for nearly seven months. “They (government) wanted him to accept the new reality,” Dulat wrote.

In 2020, when Abdullah was released from detention, he refused to endorse the government’s decision. “Whatever I say, I will say in Parliament,” the former J&K chief minister told Dulat.

Abdullah was the one who joined hands with long-time rivals such as PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and forged the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), to raise voice against the Centre’s “unilateral” decision and seek the restoration of Article 370 and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which was temporarily turned to a Union Territory with a promise to give its statehood back at an appropriate time.

National Conference Denies Claims In Dulat’s Book

“Dulat contradicts his own statement in the book. Farooq Abdullah took PAGD forward, and he made it. Wouldn’t have done it if it was true,” NC Chief Spokesperson and legislator Tanvir Sadiq said.

Terming the revelations in the book a “figment of imagination, the party spokesperson alleged that Dulat “wants relevance”.

“The claims are ⁠figments of imagination. The ⁠author wants relevance and ⁠wants to make the book sensational,” he said.

Dismissing the claims, Abdullah’s daughter, Safia Abdullah Khan, said that she never trusted Dulat and he was someone whose “loyalty was only to himself”.

“I have never trusted Dulat as far as I could throw him. He was always a spy whose loyalty was only to himself. He never cared who he threw under the bus with his previous books. I have read this book and he has played fast and loose with the truth once again,” she posted on X.

Opposition Slams Farooq Abdullah Over Massive Revelation

J&K People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone hit out at Abdullah and said that the claims made by Dulat are “very credible” as he is the “closest ally” of the former chief minister.

“Coming from Dullat sahib makes this revelation very credible. Dullat sahib is the closest ally of and friend of Farooq sahib. Virtually his alter ego,” Lone posted on X.

He said that he was “not surprised” at the revelation as Abdullah’s meeting with the Prime Minister before the abrogation of Article 370 “was never a mystery for me”.

“I personally am not surprised at this revelation. The August 4 2019 meeting of CM sahib and Farooq sahib with the PM was never a mystery for me. I can visualise Farooq sahib saying — Humey roney deejiye— Aap apna kaam karein— hum aap kay Saath hain—- It now seems 2024 was a prize for services rendered in 2019. Of course in national interest,” he said, taking a swipe at the National Conference’s 2024 J&K Assembly election victory.

Iltija Mufti Attacks Farooq Abdullah

Training guns at Abdullah over his absence during the passage of the Bill in the Parliament in 2019, Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija said that the revelations have made it clear that the NC chief “chose to stay in Kashmir instead of the Parliament” to “help” the “betrayal” of Jammu and Kashmir.

“Dulat sahab an ardent Abdullah supporter has shared how Farooq sahab agreed with Delhi’s illegal move of abrogating Article 370. There were already doubts about what transpired between the Abdullahs & PM days before J&Ks special status was revoked. With this it’s clear that Farooq sahab chose to stay in Kashmir instead of the Parliament to help normalise gutting of J&Ks constitution & subsequent betrayal,” Mufti posted on X.

Junaid Azim Mattu, Former Mayor of Srinagar, took a swipe at Abdullah and said, “Something seems to have fallen out of NC’s bag YET AGAIN and it does seem to be a cat. Commiserations to the vulnerable, gullible people of Kashmir.”