As a nation we love a lot of things. We are suckers for mainstream Bollywood masala. We like conspiracies and the various theories around them. We like to discuss how petty politics is and how rotten our leaders are. We love concluding that our nation has ruptured beyond all repairs. We like repeat telecasts of news that strip legends of their aura. We like to see our heroes fall. We like congregating in small gossip groups in train compartments, smoking corners in air-conditioned office complexes, tea stalls in tier-II cities and Baristas and CCDs in metropolitans.
In short, we love to gossip!
AS Dulat, is the latest one to capitalize on this mind-set of ours. Shri AS Dulat served in Kashmir as Joint Director Intelligence Bureau from 1988 to 1990 which can be termed as the most troublesome time in the valley. AS Dulat then moved to Intelligence bureau where he was promoted to the rank of Special Director and after that he assumed the role of the chief of Research and Analysis Wing of India. He was also appointed to the PMO to advice on Kashmir affairs from 2001 to 2004. A man of such impressive profile got to be a storehouse of information, a lot of which can be termed classified information. Sanjay Baru leaked information. K Natwar Singh leaked information. But Is Mr. Dulat a Sanjay Baru or Natwar Singh? While Mr. AS Dulat has every right in the world to ‘leak’ information but shouldn’t that be done with some caution?
While some of his revelations aren’t exactly shocking. Everyone knows that Vajpayee was of the opinion that Gujarat riots could have been averted and the situation could have been handled much better. His video where he tells Modi to follow the Raj-Dharma is quite popular, so I wouldn’t term it as a disclosure. Vajpayee was the leader of the coalition of which National Conference was a part of. If he wished to make Farooq Abdullah the vice president of India, it was completely his prerogative and was possibly because of some coalition compulsions. But again a non-expose kind of expose.
But revealing information like “The NDA government goofed up the IC-814 Hijacking” in my humble opinion is not the best thing to do. Let us look at the expose from the eyes of a non-Indian. Does it not reflect badly upon us and on our crisis handling abilities? Let us look at the expose from the eyes of Pakistan or any potential enemy? Do they not get to know about our weak points and vulnerabilities with such revelations?
A question that comes to my mind is “Wouldn’t revelations like these compromise ongoing and potential future operations?
And if it was actually a goof up was AS Dulat sitting over the information to write an all-time best seller about it? Doesn’t his integrity and responsibility as a high office holder come into question?
Another gem of a revelation is that “Indian intelligence agencies regularly pay separatist leaders, Hurriyat leaders and mainstream Jammu and Kashmir political parties including the National Conference”. Now doesn’t that affect the ongoing peace processes in the valley? Does it not alienate the separatist forces which are anyway looking for an opportunity to run away? Would any radical leader bestow its trust in RAW if they get to know that everything that they are talking about will be documented in full details in a book someday.
Read: Kashmiri Separatists: The snakes amongst us
I am writing this article as a concerned citizen of India. There are some truths that do more damage than good. There are some facts that must remain concealed. Every citizen of this country has the right to express his opinions freely and fearlessly. But every citizen must also understand his/her duty towards the nation, its integrity and its overall security. The only good thing about this episode is that Modi and co. didn’t go down on their knees to stop AS Dulat from going into the media like Sonia Gandhi and co. did in the case of Natwar Singh’s expose.
“Every citizen of this country has the right to express his opinions freely and fearlessly.” – You wanna break all the records of hypocrisy moron?
Isn’t your last post is abusing Shruti for her opinion as a citizen of the country?
“I am writing this article as a concerned citizen of India.” So you are more “concerned” about Dulats statement than Vyapam killings that you’ve vowed not to open mouth about? Its already maligning your country’s image worldwide.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-33405722
BTW what image of country you are talking about? The whole world knows about your genocide accused PM and his denied visa. Yes we goofed up IC-814, we goofed up 26/11 attack thus the whole world watched Taj Hotel burning for 5 days where Mumbai Police to MARCOS, NSG, Army everyone goofed up (Thus you need more reforms than Hashtags). And Pakistan knows it very well coz not many know but there was hostage situation from Pakistani handlers at Nariman House where govt. fucked up again. Do watch banned 26/11 docu by channel 4.
And 2002 riots forced Atal to resign as a PM is been accepted on camera by Arun Shourie and Jaswant Singh. He wanted Modi to be sacked from BJP but Advani intervened. Since then he is eating up Advanis career and the country.
Concerned citizen? Bullshit!!
“Since then he is eating up Advanis career and the country” – and all this while I was thinking that Modi had been voted to be PM by the citizens of this country through a proper election process! Silly me….
So was him as CM in 2002, so is Shivraj Singh Cauhan, Akhilesh Yadav or Yweddurappa…all are voted by citizen of this country…does that make them Holier than thou?
Atul Kumar Mishra – You earned your bread for today by writing another post to defend Modi and BJP. People like to read unbiased views which may or may not favor a political party. Why don’t you add a disclaimer that you are part of BJP PR and has no relation to unbiased views in real life?
I don’t know where BJP and Modi comes in all this. The concerns expressed were regarding national security. Maybe this happens to people like you as you are obsessed with ensuring that the BJP and Modi get discredited one way or the other!