Kashmir separatists refute charges levelled by ex-R&AW chief A S Dulat

SRINAGAR: Many years after his retirement, India’s former R&AW chief A S Dulat, managed to ruffle feathers in the separatist camp in Kashmir, which allegedly received many tangible and intangible favours from New Delhi. The separatist leaders have refuted the allegations.

The retired spy-master, with his “exposes” during television interviews — ahead of the release of his book ‘Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years’ has stirred the hornets nest in Kashmir.

Dulat, through his selective leaks, has put in a question mark on the credibility of almost all prominent leaders of Kashmir, including, Hurriyat leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umaer Farooq, United Jehad Council supremo, Syed Sallahuddin, and JKLF chairman Yaseen Malik.

The separatist camp, however, has outrightly rejected the allegations , terming his book a ‘bunch of lies’ aimed at ‘creating confusion within the freedom movement of J&K.’

Dulat in his controversial television interviews claimed that Sallahuddin, Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) chief, who also heads the Muzafarrabad based conglomerate of militant organizations, was in touch with a former chief minister of J&K, Mir Qasim, and wanted to return to Kashmir. Besides, Dulat claimed that Salahuddin had contacted a senior Intelligence Bureau official to manage admission of his son, Wahid, in a medical college.

The HM spokesperson, Saleem Hashmi, however, refuted all the allegations, saying Wahid was selected on merit after appearing for the entrance examination and Salahuddin has no links with the government or any spy agency.

“Intelligence agencies can go to any extent to defame Kashmir’s resistance movement,” he said.