SRINAGAR: Former RAW chief A S Dulat has claimed that National Conference (NC) president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah had privately supported the abrogation of Article 370, despite his party’s public opposition to the move. The claim, detailed in Dulat’s new book The Chief Minister and the Spy, has sparked strong political reactions across Jammu and Kashmir.
According to Dulat, Abdullah questioned why he and his party were not consulted beforehand, reportedly saying, “We would have helped. Why were we not taken into confidence?” The book also notes a meeting between the Abdullahs and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 4 August 2019, just days before the abrogation, the details of which, Dulat writes, “nobody will ever know.”
Following the revocation of Article 370, Farooq Abdullah was detained for seven months. Dulat suggests that during this period, Delhi discreetly assessed his stance and expected him to accept the new political reality.
Peoples Conference chief and MLA Handwara, Sajad Lone, said he was not surprised by the revelation, calling it credible due to Dulat’s close association with Abdullah. In a post on X, Lone criticised the NC’s alleged double standards, claiming its members privately express solidarity with BJP leaders while enacting public opposition. “The August 4, 2019 meeting with the PM was never a mystery for me,” he wrote, adding that recent political developments in 2024 might be linked to the events of 2019.
Dullat sahib has revealed in his upcoming book that Farooq Sahib privately supported the abrogation of Article 370.
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.…
— Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) April 16, 2025
PDP leader Iltija Mufti also reacted, accusing Farooq Abdullah of aiding the normalisation of what she described as the “gutting of JK’s constitution.” She said the NC president chose to remain in Kashmir rather than attend Parliament, indirectly helping legitimise the abrogation.
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 There were already doubts about what transpired between the Abdullahs & PM days before J&Ks special status was revoked.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… pic.twitter.com/46O9IXZ2xT
— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) April 16, 2025
“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,” she wrote on X.
The NC, however, has strongly denied the claims. Party spokesperson and MLA Zadibal, Tanvir Sadiq, called the contents of Dulat’s book fictional and contradictory. He said if Abdullah had truly supported the abrogation, the Government of India would not have detained him. He added that Abdullah’s post-release efforts in forming the Gupkar Alliance demonstrated his continued opposition to the move.
Sadiq also dismissed Dulat’s earlier remarks about PDP leadership and questioned the author’s credibility. He accused opposition parties of fabricating controversies to deflect from core issues like the reservation amendment bill and budget debates.
He further said concerns raised by MP Syed Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, who recently alleged being sidelined after supporting student protests, would be addressed internally by the party.
