Journalist; Mr, Ambassador, the police has ruled out any foreign hand in the assassination of Indira Gandhi and have come out with the explanation that the assassins were inspired by the appearance of a hawk (Baaz) at the Prime Minister’s residence.
Diplomat: That’s right.
Journalist: Also Government of India has not blamed Pakistan for sending infiltrators into Punjab, and Border Security force officials have ruled out smuggling of weapons into India from across Pakistan border.
Diplomat: Very correct.
Journalist: How is it, then, that the government has decided to declare 500 meters area along the entire Pakistan border in Punjab as no man’s land? Is it not an antiSikh step to further humiliate and harrass the Sikh population in Punjab. Is it not an attempt to convert thousands of fertile acres into a nonproductive region of wild growth in order to reduce the cultivable acreage of Punjab and drive Sikh farmers to a point of starvation?
Diplomat: Not in National Interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Government of India has sent Senior State Officers to Punjab to persuade Sikh migrants to return to their homes.
Diplomat: That is right.
Journalist: Government is also putting pressure upon the Sikh widows and children currently lodged in refugee camps in Delhi to either return to their homes or shift to government hutments.
Diplomat: Very correct.
Journalist: How is it that the government expects these unfortunate victims to return to places where the murderers of their husbands, sons and rapists of innocent girls are still prowling hungrily for prey after being released on bail? How is it that the government has not taken any preventive measure to ensure recurrence of the assaults on helpless Sikh women as is evident from the attack on a rehabilitated Sikh widow by three drunken Hindus?
Diplomat: Not in National interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, There is a proposal to construct a new residence for the Prime Minister.
Diplomat: That’s right.
Journalist: The new residence is being designed to ensure complete security and is expected to cost 2 crores of rupees.
Diplomat: Very correct.
Journalist: How is it that in a democratic country millions of dollars are being spent on the residence of the Prime Minister who is supposed to be the popular representative of those teaming millions who either have no homes or live under makeshift straw roofs? Is he afraid of his own people? Does he feel isolated from the masses or is it his own guilt that is forcing him to seek protection behind bulletproof walls, bulletproof cars.
Diplomat: Not in national interest to disclose.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 8, 1985
