CHANDIGARH, India: Giani Zail Singh, the retiring President of India, showed his ignorance and surprise on the Punjab happenings during the period he remained occupant of the Rashterpati Bhawan in New Delhi. He made this statement at the Press Club Chandigarh during the process of his farewell tour to all the parts of the country. Mr. Zail Singh termed the Operation Blue Star as the order of his leader Mrs. Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. He said that he had only faithfully accepted her orders. He denied his personal knowledge or association with the attack on the holy Golden Temple.
In June, 1984. He also charged the present Prime Minister, Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, for keeping him in the dark about the present situation and the atrocities being faced by the people of Punjab. Mr. Zail Singh stated that at the time of his departure from the State for New Delhi, he left the people with happy expressions on their faces but on my return he found them depressed, anguished and terrified. Mr. Zail Singh was evasive in direct replies to the newsmen.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 31, 1987
