Former RAW Chief AS Dulat spills the beans in TV Interview

Former RAW Chief AS Dulat makes sensational revelations during an exclusive interview to Karan Thappar of India Today. He revealed a lot of unheard things about Jammu & Kashmir, its political class and the relationship between the centre and J&K.

Here are the excerpts from AS Dulat’s Interview:

* Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee had advised Sonia Gandhi in 2002 not to make Mufti CM of Jammu & Kashmir.
* Delhi had doubts on the credibility of Mehbooba Mufti. Vajpayee believed she had links with Hizbul Mujahideen and Jamaat.
* Mufti Mohammed Sayeed loved his Black Label Whiskey, but has now given up drinking.
* Vajpayee was fond of Omar Abdullah and wanted Dr. Farooq Abdullah as the Vice President of India. The promise made to Farooq, was never fulfilled. That made him bitter and he said he never trusted Delhi.
* Militants used to be in touch with the IB and sought favours too.
* Syed Salahuddin, the head of the Hizbul Mujahideen and the Jihadi Council based in Pakistan, had sought IB’s help to get his son admitted into a college in Srinagar. Farooq had obliged.
* The Crisis Management Group goofed up during IC 814 Kandahar hijack case. They kept debating while the plane left Amritsar.
* Farooq Abdullah was furious over the deal with terrorists during IC 814 hijack. He vented his anger for three hours and then rushed to Governor Saxena to resign. The Governor calmed him down with two glasses of whiskey and then he relented.
* The Agra summit was soiled when Advani met Musharraf and asked for Dawood Ibrahim.
* Brajesh Mishra was virtually running the government at the centre. He was more powerful than LK Advani and enjoyed Vajpayee’s trust and confidence.
* After 2004 loss, Vajpayee conceded that Gujarat handling in 2002 was a big mistake. “Hum see bahut badi galti hui”, Vajpayee said.