Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Rajiv Gandhi has announced a package of over 750 million dollars in aid to West Bengal to be spent in the next three years.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: The big aid package announcement came on the eve of the State Assembly elections and is aimed at enticing the voters into supporting his party.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Do you think voters will take Rajiv Gandhi seriously in view of the dismal record that he holds in going back on his written accords in Punjab and Assam? Will the aid package be honored if the voters reject Congress (I)?
Ambassador. Not in national interest to disclose.
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Journalist. Mr. Ambassador, addressing the students of D.A.V. College, Chandigarh, the Speaker of Indian Parliament, Mr. Balram Jakkar said that certain violent forces were trying to destroy the unity of the country.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: He also said that some foreign powers interested in the disintegration of India were supporting these forces.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Do you think from violent forces Jakkar meant his Cabinet colleagues like Bhagat and Tytler who had engineered anti-Sikh riots on the advice of the Soviet Union?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Indian government has given permission to a Canadian Parliamentary delegation to visit the Golden Temple.
Ambassador; That’s right.
Journalist: But the government has so arranged that the delegation will first meet Khushwant Singh and Lt. Gen. Jagjit Singh Arora in Delhi. Both of them have reportedly been deputed to convince the delegation members that there was no discrimination against Sikhs in India. “Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Do you think government will also permit them to meet A.LS.S.F. and Damdami Taksal leaders?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 27, 1987
