Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Rajiv Gandhi campaigned very hard in West Bengal and Kerala for his party and addressed over one hundred public meetings in each of the two States.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: He made the elections a matter of personal prestige and hoped to repeat his 1985 performance. But his party has been virtually wiped out in West Bengal and suffered a crushing defeat in Kerala.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Did no one tell him that the trick of trading his mother’s death won’t work again? How long do you think Congress (I) Party will tolerate this incompetent “Nero” who loves to break speed laws rather than addressing himself to the urgent problems of the country?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, America is reportedly considering to
give to Pakistan Airborne Early Warning System instead of the sophisticated Airborne Warning and Control System under pressure from Indian government?
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist; It is also reported that America has offered to Delhi a supercomputer generation far inferior to the type that India had requested.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Don’t you think India lost the opportunity of getting the supercomputer simply because of the noise it created against America’s plan to give AWACS to Pakistan? Don’t you think Soviet Union’s strategy to acquire supercomputer through India has failed?
Ambassador:
Not in national interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Punjab Finance Minister, Balwant Singh has requested Delhi to send more paramilitary troops to Punjab to fight the Sikh freedom fighters.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: But his Chief Minister, Surjit Singh Barnala, is pleading with the Center to release the Jodhpur detainees who have been charged by C.B.I. with waging war against India.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Does it mean Barnala government wants the release of Jodhpur detainees to get them killed by the paramilitary troops? Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 3, 1987
