Credibility at stake, J-K statehood must be restored: Ex-RAW chief

Kozhikode, PTI: Former RAW chief AS Dulat cautioned that the “happiness” of Kashmiris following the elections in 2024 is “temporary”, and as they await the fulfilment of the promise of J-K’s statehood, the credibility of both Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Centre is on the line. Dulat on Saturday said that Abdullah, who expressed his desire for a good relationship with the central government soon after becoming the chief minister, is not “asking for much” by seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. “What’s Omar asking for? What does a Kashmiri expect? Article 370 is gone, it’s not that it has gone out of Kashmiris’ mind, they still think about 370. But Omar knows it is not coming back. What he craves for his self-respect, the statehood.

“I think it is in the interest of both Delhi and Srinagar that the statehood is returned at the earliest. It has to be done for the credibility of both sides, otherwise Omar will lose his and so will Delhi,” said Dulat who headed the external intelligence agency during 1999-2000. He was speaking here at the ongoing Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) about his autobiography, “A Life in the Shadows: A Memoir”, published by HarperCollins India. The 85-year-old expressed his concern that the restoration of statehood to J-K, which he believed should have been granted immediately after the elections, is unlikely to happen any time soon.

“Now statehood has become an issue and the way Delhi looks at it: ‘Yes, yes we are committed to restoration of statehood, but we will do it at the time of our liking’. It may not happen for quite a while,” he added. The Narendra Modi-led government had abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019 and the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.

He warned that the apparent “happiness” on the faces of Kashmiris is “temporary.” For example, if nothing is done within the next six months regarding the restoration of statehood to J-K, he said.