Can India get the Saudi crown prince to send a message to Pakistan?

“We must try to get Saudi crown prince Mohd Bin Salman to say something. The Saudis are the closest to the Pakistanis, so can the Modi government get the Saudi prince to say something? Even if it is a little message to Pakistan,” exclaims former spymaster A S Dulat, who rules out the possibility of war.

He is among the few in New Delhi who understand the situation in Kashmir better than most other people. A former Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau, Secretary Research & Analysis Wing (R&AW) and Advisor on Kashmir in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s PMO, A.S. Dulat is reluctant to speak to the media. “I am too old and tired and would not like to be called an ‘anti-national’,” he jokes.

But he perks up as the conversation turns to the post-Pulwama situation in the country. The Government may have said it was giving a free hand to the Army, but war is nastier today than at any other time in history, he points out. “War is not a picnic,” he quips and points out that there hasn’t been a real war since 1971. And the weaponry since 1971 has changed.

Asked if there would be any impact of the Government’s decision to withdraw security of separatist leaders in Kashmir, he replies, “I don’t think it will have any impact. One of them could be shot; they are all vulnerable in their own ways. It could be someone from within who could decide to bump off someone to settle scores. In Kashmir such is the situation. After all, Sajjad Lone’s father Abdul Ghani Lone was assassinated. He was really the only politician amongst them then. He was a big player. So, I fear the most for Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. He is the one separatist who has a future, is important and will remain a key player in Kashmir. So, his security is important.”

Dulat firmly believes that there is no substitute to talks. “I’m glad that the home minister met Omar Abdullah. It was important that the home minister gave time to him because Omar knows Kashmir better than anyone except his father. But, why not talk to Farooq, consult Farooq? Why not consult Mehbooba Mufti? They must sit down with Farooq and Mehbooba together, maybe one or two more. Now, you have a separatist in the mainstream – Sajjad Lone. Why don’t they get Sajjad? So, I would say, get Farooq, Mehbooba and Sajjad. We need to talk.”

“If there is a problem at the highest level, then let the Home Minister talk. He must talk to Dr Farooq – no one knows Delhi, Kashmir and Pakistan better than him. Why don’t you talk to Farooq? The first thing that should have been done when this happened is someone at the top should have called up Farooq for his views…”

He is disturbed at the backlash that Kashmiri students are facing. “ Teach Pakistan a lesson, if you like but what is the point of attacking Kashmiri students ? How will that solve the issue? These will only add to our problems in Kashmir,” he says, adding that in Kashmir, the way ahead is Vajpayee’s way.

“Vajpayee is still revered in the Valley. He is not a Pakistani. He never gave up hope with Pakistan and he never gave up hope with the Kashmiris. I think he was tested much more than Modi has been tested. During his time there was Kargil, the Parliament attack, the hijacking of IC-814, but he didn’t lose his balance, he didn’t lose his cool…”

The handling of the crisis is a test for Prime Minister Modi, he believes. “Modiji has been lucky. Uri and Pathankot did happen, but that is not of the same magnitude as the Parliament attack or the hijacking. This is the test of a Prime Minister, during a crisis. Dr Manmohan Singh had a difficult time, when Mumbai happened. And to his credit, he dealt with it extremely well and people thought 26/11 would cost the Congress a great deal, but in less than a year, they were back in power.”

(The complete interview will appear in National Herald on Sunday)