JOURNALIST: Mr. Ambassador, after nearly two months ‘of the operation Black Thunder, the Indian government has now made public some documents allegedly recovered from the Golden Temple revealing a plot to kill Rajiv Gandhi and Buta Singh.

AMBASSADOR: That’s right.

JOURNALIST: The documents also implicate Pakistan in aiding and arming Sikh militants in Punjab. AMBASSADOR: Very correct.

JOURNALIST: Don’t you think by fabricating these documents, Rajiv Gandhi is trying to distract people’s attention from the corruption charges against him and once again wants to win election on sympathy vote? AMBASSADOR: Not in national interest to disclose.

JOURNALIST: Mr. Ambassador, a senior Punjab police officer admitted to a New York correspondent that hardcore criminals were recruited by the police to kill Sikh militants.

AMBASSADOR: That’s right.

JOURNALIST: He, however, said that the killer squad has been disbanded in view of their “getting out of hand.”

AMBASSADOR: Very correct.

JOURNALIST: Don’t you think the second statement has been made merely to counter the adverse publicity in foreign press whereas the truth is that the killer squads are as active as before in killing Sikh families in the rural area?

AMBASSADOR: Not in national interest.

JOURNALIST: Mr. Ambassador, Rajiv Gandhi stated at a press conference that there was no move to give special status to Punjab under article 370 of the constitution.

AMBASSADOR: That’s right.

JOURNALIST: But no Sikh organization or individual asked for special status. Sikhs are fighting for a sovereign state of their own and won’t compromise for anything less than Khalistan.

AMBASSADOR: Very correct.

JOURNALIST: Don’t you think the bait of special status has been purposely offered by Rajiv’s government to make the Sikhs give up their struggle for Khalistan?

AMBASSADOR: Not in national interest to disclose.

Article extracted from this publication >> August 12, 1988