Dulat had given wrong impression to Hurriyat leaders: Advani

New Delhi, Mar 24 (UNI) Former RAW chief A S Dulat had given the Hurriyat leaders an impression that the NDA government was prepared to look at solutions to the Kashmir issue outside the ambit of the Indian constitution, reveals former Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani.

''I learnt that Dulat, who was in regular contact with the leaders of various groups in Kashmir, had given some Hurriyat leaders the impression that the (Vajpayee) government was prepared to look at solutions to the Kashmir issue outside the ambit of the Indian constitution,'' Mr Advani says in his book 'My Country, My Life' released here recently.

''I was very upset at this and, in my very first meeting with Hurriyat delegation, I made it clear that there was no question of of the government entertaining any proposal outside the Indian constitution.'' The Leader of the Opposition also said that his approach to the talks with the Hurriyat leaders was different than that of the National Security Advisor and Principal Secretary to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Brajesh Mishra, and Mr Dulat, who was serving as an advisor in the PMO on Jammu and Kashmir affairs.

''There was a significant difference in my approach to the talks with the Hurriyat leaders and that of Brajesh Mishra and Dulat,'' he says.

Mr Advani held two rounds of talks with the Hurriyat leaders - first on January 22, 2004 and the second on March 27, 2004.

The BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate expresses satisfaction over his talks with the Hurriyat leaders.

''Nevertheless, when I look back at my dialogue with the Hurriyat Conference, I experience considerable satisfaction.

Most analysts described my talks with the Hurriyat leaders as a 'milestone' on the road to peace.'' He has full praise for Hurriyat leaders as well.

''A major reason for that (satisfaction) was I found the Hurriyat leaders to be genuine, earnest, and, to some extent, open-minded in their ineractions with me. Similarly, on my part, I was able to convince them about my sincerity, and the sincerity of the Vajpayee government, in pursuit of peace in Jammu and Kashmir,'' writes Mr Advani.

UNI AG MSJ SSC1314