The way the disclosures about Kashmir's leadership given in the book by Mr. Dulat, the former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) chief have been hyped up by the media, it is alleged that the intention is to topple not only the cart of the Kashmiri leadership but also discredit its entire society.

There is no doubt that the Kashmiri society including its leadership has many weaknesses of character due to the prolonged external oppressive rule lasting few centuries. In fact, a number of foreign authors like Sir Water Lawrence and Canon Tyndale Biscoe have pointed out these weaknesses of Kashmiri character. Lawrence had opined that the Kashmiri is not inherently bad but his oppressive rulers have made him so. In fact, he predicts that two generations of a just and strong rule will bring out the best in a Kashmiri.

So far such a rule has not been seen by Kashmiris! On the contrary, as confirmed by the disclosures of Dulat, Kashmiris have been living through the most manipulative rule for last 60 years or so. The outside masters have tried to bring out the worst in the Kashmiri character by continuous manipulation. They have left no stone unturned to bring out the worst side of a Kashmiri. 

Disclosures by a former spy are not a new thing. This happens all over the world. The most notorious agency in the world is the Central Intelligence Agency of USA. A number of its former officers have written books about all the "dirty tricks" the agency has been indulging in all over the world. CIA has a special section called the "Department of Dirty Tricks".

The job of this section is to spread disinformation about various people especially politicians and others both within USA and all over the world. William Blum, a former spy of CIA has written a book, the "Rogue State" which describes in detail the "Dirty Tricks" indulged in by the Agency all over the world.

It says that the Central Intelligence Agency had once even contemplated about the assassination of Pandit Nehru on the similar lines as Dulat talks about Geelani! Doctored pornographic videos of Dr. Soekarno were distributed in Indonesia to discredit him. Similarly, RAW had distributed a "Red Book" about the properties of Abdullah family to keep Sheikh Abdullah on the right track. 

As regards the receipt of substantial amounts of money by leaders of all factions from the agencies of both the countries, this is common knowledge in Kashmir. In fact, all these so called disclosures have been known to common Kashmiris.

The most important information source in Kashmir traditionally has been the baker's shop. Every morning Kashmiris in every locality gather in a baker's shop. There is always rush in the morning and people have to wait sometime even for an hour to get their turn to collect the bread. During the waiting period people exchange information and even express their views on various issues. 

Quite often people from Delhi have descended here with trunks full of currency notes to buy peace. A typical event of that nature was the holy relic agitation of 1963/64 when Lal Bhadur Shastri came here to buy peace. He had carried along trunks full of money!

After the dethroning of 1953, money had been flowing to Sheikh Abdullah's family and others through Jehangir Khan who was implicated in the famous conspiracy case subsequently withdrawn by the Indian government in 1964 when Sheikh was released unconditionally on Pandit Nehru's intervention.

It has been alleged by many that Dulat's disclosures are with the consent of the Indian government for discrediting the Kashmiri leadership and the society in general. However, it hardly makes a difference as the present leadership on its own has lost credibility by failing to provide a practical and workable vision and a road map to reach the ultimate goal.

They have not been able to go beyond the hartal (shut down) strategy. In spite of that, they may be the only generation with whom the authorities can still talk! 

The most worrisome episode at present for the Indian authorities is not the so called discredited leaders but the new leaderless generation. They are all leaders in themselves and mean business. Recently, the National Security Advisor and the Army Commander expressed serious anxiety about the Kashmiri young men joining militancy.

In fact, 21 students of the Army School in Kupwara were stopped from crossing the Line of Control. They were intending to go across for arms training. Incidentally, it is not the unemployed educated youth numbering almost a million who are joining militancy but many highly motivated employed young men.

Some personal security officers including that of a minister in the present government have run away with their arms and joined militant ranks. In such a situation, Dulat's disclosures even though sensational and dramatic, are not going to have any appreciable impact on the simmering discontent and unrest among the youth caused by extreme alienation which may burst soon like a volcano!