Lone agreed to help us in 2002 polls: Dulat
‘He wanted us to take care of his son Sajad’
Former RAW chief A S Dulat has claimed that slain separatist leader and Peoples Conference chairman, Abdul Gani Lone had agreed to offer his support in 2002 assembly elections.
In his book, “Kashmir: The Vajpayee Years”, Dulat claims that Lone was fed up with Pakistan and wanted to end the militancy in Kashmir.“He (Lone) would talk about politics and the movement and dialogue. He was quite happy talking. He was honest enough to acknowledge that the gun had ultimately failed and Kashmiris needed to move on. Lone was totally fed up with Pakistan,” alleges former RAW chief.
Referring to his deliberations with Lone, he said Lone was a crucial in the Hurriyat to move forward politically with the separatists.
“I told one of our officers, a tall fellow, go pick up Lone Saheb and bring him here. So the officer went with the basket of fruit to Lone and said Saheb wants to meet you,” Dulat writes.
He said in the beginning, Lone didn’t trust him being an RAW chief.
“In the beginning I would talk to him but he said nothing. Lone gradually opened up, but then he spoke little, very measured, few words but everything was meaningful. Nonetheless he responded positively, and we continued a dialogue, right until the end of 2002,” Dulat said.
Describing Lone a typical politician, similar to Atal Bihari Vajpayee who used to speak even less, he said, “He (Lone) understood politics. In Kashmir he was regarded as one of the smarter politicians, maybe the smartest after Farooq; may be even smarter. He was in that league”.
“By the time Agra summit took place, I was in PMO and in consistent touch with Lone. Since I had lot of time at the PMO I was meeting Lone more and spoke to him about the 2002 Assembly elections,” Dulat writes.
He said Lone told him that he understood that elections were important saying 1996 poll was a clear example.
“Look,” I said. “The PM wants totally free and fair elections.”
“Yes,” he said. “Free and fair. It is the right way forward.”
Dulat said he told Lone to help them. “How?” he asked. “You could contest,” I said.
“My time is over, but I will help you,” he said. “Don’t ask how, let the time come.”
Dulat said many people, who think that Lone was participating in 2002 elections and killed for the same reason by “Pakistan”, is bunkum.
“He never, ever gave any indication that he wanted to participate in the elections. I am too far gone now were his words. He was hinting at the next generation and also at Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, then the head of Hurriyat,” he writes.
Dulat further writes that Lone felt he had been through much. He had stood for and spoken against to be a part of an election. “His participation in polls would have been a total turnaround, which at this stage he could not afford”.
“I am with you. This is a good idea and we will help you indirectly,” he would tell me,” Dulat said adding that he was willing to help in democratic process but without getting involved.
He said by March-April 2002, then Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah got wind of Lone’s contact with the PMO and it worried him. During this period Abdullah sought Lone out.
“I have no objection to Hurriyat participation in the election,” Farooq told me. “Why doesn’t Lone join us, we will take him willingly.”
Referring to Lone’s two sons, Dulat writes that after Lone’s death, the family decided that Bilal would be inside the Hurriyat and Sajad would stay out and take care of the party.
“Lone had decided that Sajad would carry his legacy forward. He would hint this and say, ‘You guys should look after him’,” Dulat writes.
“Perhaps he had an inkling of the threat to him and was worried,” he added.
