Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Srinagar on June 26, 2019 to give final touches to the government’s resolve to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) K.J.S. Dhillon states in his yet-to-be-released book.
Dhillon’s ‘Kitne Ghazi Aaye Kitne Ghazi Gaye’ is slated to release on February 14 as a tribute to the 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel killed in a 2019 suicide car bomb attack near Lethpora in south Kashmir. Amit Shah’s visit on June 26, 2019 was the prelude to the dramatic announcement, Dhillon said, adding that “I got a call at 2 am about a meeting with the home minister at 7 am”.
Without divulging much about his meeting with the home minister, the retired lieutenant general, who heads the army’s strategic Srinagar-based XV Corps, said, “Very sensitive issues, crucial issues were discussed. The home minister was in complete control and fully aware of the agenda. He clearly did extensive research, homework.” The retired Lt. Gen. said that he had done it, and he had to suggest it with absolute objectivity and great professional input.
At the end of the meeting.. “I was asked about my candid, personal perspective, my immediate response was… We can write history only if we make history,” Dhillon said in the book. The last meeting held in Srinagar on August 5, 2019 by the government was the abrogation of Article 370, which gave special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh into union territories was announced.
The retired Lt General said the authorities had to shut down the internet as lies were being spread from across the border and to ensure that there was no loss of life or property. He (Dhillan) who headed the local army command in Kashmir when this decision was taken, wrote in the book that he was proud to say that the objective had been achieved.
