In a candid conversation at the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF), former RAW chief AS Dulat cautioned that the apparent “happiness” among Kashmiris following the 2024 elections is only temporary. He emphasized the urgency of fulfilling the promise of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, warning that the credibility of both Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the central government is at stake.
Statehood Promise Must Be Fulfilled for Credibility
Dulat, who headed India’s external intelligence agency from 1999 to 2000, expressed concerns over the prolonged delay in restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. “What’s Omar asking for? What does a Kashmiri expect? Article 370 is gone, and though Kashmiris still think about it, they know it won’t return. What they want now is statehood,” Dulat said.
According to Dulat, the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is in the best interest of both Delhi and Srinagar. He stressed, “It has to be done for the credibility of both sides. If not, Omar will lose his credibility, and so will Delhi.”
Temporary Joy Among Kashmiris
The former RAW chief cautioned that the “temporary happiness” on the faces of Kashmiris could fade quickly if there is no progress in restoring statehood. Dulat explained, “Right now, people are temporarily happy because they see it as a victory for Kashmiris. They have the government of their choosing, the National Conference, which is a regional party. It’s a victory for the Abdullah family. But this victory won’t last if they can’t get what they deserve.”
He added that if the central government fails to deliver on the promise of statehood within the next six months, Kashmiris will once again accuse Delhi of “playing tricks” and criticize their government for failing to deliver on its promises.
The Diarchy of J-K: Two Governments in Operation
Dulat highlighted the current political scenario in Jammu and Kashmir as a “diarchy” – with two parallel governments functioning in the region. One is led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and the other by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. This dual governance structure, according to Dulat, complicates the region’s political landscape further.
A Complex and Nuanced Kashmir
Reflecting on his extensive experience with Kashmir, Dulat acknowledged the region’s complexities. “Kashmir taught me everything I know about intelligence,” he remarked, stressing that the region cannot be understood in black-and-white terms. “It’s filled with greys, nuances, and complexities. In Kashmir, it’s not about what we want or what they want; it’s about finding a middle path. That is the path that we need to tread,” he concluded.
KLF 2025: A Gathering of Global Minds
Dulat was speaking at the ongoing Kerala Literature Festival, which began on January 23, 2025, and is expected to draw over six lakh visitors before it concludes on Sunday. The event is hosting more than 500 speakers from 15 countries, including Nobel laureates Venki Ramakrishnan and Esther Duflo, Booker Prize-winning novelist Paul Lynch, and renowned actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, among others.
The festival, held at Kozhikode Beach, has become Asia’s largest literary gathering, attracting book lovers, authors, artists, historians, and activists to engage in a wide array of discussions and panels.
