Ex-RAW chief AS Dulat Warns of Temporary Happiness in Kashmir, Urges Swift Statehood Restoration to Protect Credibility
Ex-RAW chief AS Dulat has warned that the current “happiness” among Kashmiris following the 2024 elections may be short-lived, emphasizing that their optimism is tied to the unmet promise of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. He stated that both Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the central government’s credibility are at stake as Kashmiris await the restoration of their statehood.
Dulat pointed out that Omar Abdullah, who has sought a positive relationship with the central government since becoming chief minister, is not asking for much by advocating for the return of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. According to Dulat, while Kashmiris may still reflect on the removal of Article 370, which revoked the region’s special status in 2019, Abdullah understands it won’t be reinstated. What he desires, Dulat said, is the restoration of statehood to uphold both his own dignity and that of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
In Dulat’s view, it is in the best interest of both Delhi and Srinagar to return statehood to Jammu and Kashmir at the earliest opportunity. Failure to do so, he argued, would undermine the credibility of both Omar Abdullah and the Indian government.
Dulat, speaking at the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF) while promoting his memoir A Life in the Shadows: A Memoir, expressed his disappointment that the restoration of statehood, which he believes should have been granted right after the elections, is not likely to happen soon. He noted that Delhi seems committed to the restoration of statehood, but only on its own terms, with no clear timeline in sight.
The revocation of Article 370 in 2019 had led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh—under the Narendra Modi-led government.
Dulat cautioned that any visible joy on the faces of Kashmiris is temporary. If no concrete steps are taken within the next six months toward statehood, he predicted that Kashmiris will once again accuse the central government of deceiving them, and they will lose confidence in the current administration, led by Chief Minister Abdullah.
While Kashmiris may currently feel a sense of victory due to having a government of their choosing, led by the regional National Conference party, Dulat warned that this sense of achievement could dissipate if the government fails to secure what it promised.
Dulat further explained that Jammu and Kashmir is now operating under a “diarchy,” with two parallel governing bodies: one led by Omar Abdullah and the other by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
During his talk, Dulat, who co-authored Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years, reflected on how Kashmir shaped his understanding of intelligence. He highlighted the region’s complexities, stressing that Kashmir cannot be seen in simple black-and-white terms. Instead, it’s about navigating its “greys” and finding a balanced path forward.
The Kerala Literature Festival, which kicked off on January 23, has attracted around 500 speakers from 15 countries, making it one of Asia’s largest literary events. The festival is being held at Kozhikode beach and has drawn large crowds of book lovers. Among the notable speakers are Nobel laureates Venki Ramakrishnan and Esther Duflo, Booker Prize winner Paul Lynch, actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, filmmaker Mani Ratnam, and politicians and authors like Shashi Tharoor. Over six lakh visitors are expected to attend before the festival concludes on Sunday.
