Sajad Lone Says He’s ‘Not Surprised’; Iltija Mufti Calls It a Betrayal of J&K’s Constitution
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar, (DD): Former RAW Chief A.S. Dulat has stirred controversy with claims in his new book The Chief Minister and The Spy, alleging that National Conference (NC) President and former Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah privately supported the abrogation of Article 370, despite publicly opposing it.
The statement has triggered a political uproar, with key opposition figures reacting sharply on social media.
Peoples Conference President and Handwara MLA, Sajad Gani Lone, said the revelation did not surprise him. He remarked that the August 4, 2019 meeting between Farooq Abdullah and the Prime Minister had long raised questions and was never a mystery to him.
“Dulat sahib claims that Farooq sahib privately backed the abrogation of Article 370. Coming from someone so close to him makes it a significant assertion. Dulat has long been seen as an insider, almost like an alter ego of Farooq sahib,” Lone wrote on X.
He added that while the NC would likely deny the claim and call it a conspiracy, such a reaction was expected. “They’ve mastered the art of playing the victim. But on the ground, their MLAs often appear to have a tacit understanding with BJP leaders. The drama inside and outside the Assembly, they claim, is all in the national interest.”
Referring to the 2019 meeting before Article 370 was revoked, Lone sarcastically remarked: “I can imagine Farooq sahib saying—‘Humey roney deejiye, aap apna kaam karein, hum aap ke saath hain.’ It now seems that 2024 was a reward for services rendered in 2019.”
Meanwhile, Iltija Mufti, PDP leader and daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, accused Farooq Abdullah of betrayal. She said Dulat’s disclosure confirmed existing doubts about the Abdullahs’ actions in the days leading up to the constitutional change.
“Dulat sahib, a known supporter of the Abdullahs, has revealed how Farooq sahib agreed with Delhi’s illegal move to revoke Article 370. This confirms suspicions about what transpired during meetings with the Prime Minister. Instead of being in Parliament, Farooq sahib chose to stay in Kashmir—perhaps to help normalize what was essentially the dismantling of J&K’s constitutional identity,” she wrote on X (DD)