CHANDIGARH, India: “There is a serious danger of the Sri Lanka Accord ultimately blasting in the face of Rajiv Gandhi, “Precisely it is an agreement between the Indian and Sri Lanka Governments on the ethnic problem between Tamils and Sinhalese. The agreement will assume the status of an accord only after it has been ratified by Sri Lanka Parliament”, says Mr. A.P. Venkataswaran, who resigned last year as Foreign Secretary of India.

“The problem is between the Tamil minority and the Sinhalese majority. Even there is a strong ‘opposition to the agreement from within the Government. Since neither the Tamil minority nor the Sinhalese majority was made party to the agreement, it looks improbable that the agreement will be implemented. The situation is unstable as the Sinhalese majority has not accepted the agreement”.

“It is for the first time that Indian troops have been put under the command of any of power, Previously, Indian troops used to go out as part of the U.N. ~ peace keeping forces”, says Mr. Venkataswaran.

Mr. Venkataswaran, who after resigning from the Indian Foreign Service has joined Hinduja Foundation in Bombay as its President, ‘was here to participate in a seminar on “Perspectives on Punjab” at the Centre for Research on Rural and Industrial Development He also spoke on “*National Security and Foreign Policy Perspectives”,

“The Indian government”, he says, “has lots of problems with many countries over the Punjab problem. We made ourselves cheap in the eyes of others, many foreign powers are laughing at us to show us how incapable we are. In most of the cases, the issue was activities of freedom fighters. Though we succeeded in signing an extradition treaty with Canada, we could not sign a similar treaty with UK.

“By introducing the visa regime for Indians holding passports of other countries, we alienate our ‘own people”, adds Mr. Venkataswaran,

He maintains that during the tenure as Foreign Secretary, entry of foreigners of Indian origin into the country was allowed. Even Indian missions abroad were authorized to issue visas.

“It was bad not to permit foreign journalists from coming to Punjab. They wrote without knowing the reality. By not permitting Sikhs holding foreign. passports from entering Punjab, we alienated them further.

“Because of the Punjab problem even elected representatives of the Public Raves There are more sten gun wielding policemen in Delhi than elsewhere,

“The problem cannot be solved by countering violence with violence, rather it will increase violence, this madness has to be stopped, and the problem with our Government is that it does not act but reacts, the other problem is that the Government follows petty details without bothering about major issues which ultimately escape. There is no doubt that the Government has to be firm in dealing with the Punjab problem but it should not be mindless, ‘firmness.  I can say that more people have been alienated from the national mainstream than ever before, If violence has silent support of people in Punjab, it is not because their actions are approved rather it is disapproval of what the Central government is doing in the State”, says the former Foreign Secretary.

The Punjab problem, he says has to be tackled psychologically. There should be youth mobilization and voluntary organizations should play an increased role in the present situation. Process of social education and economic: development should be undertaken ‘on a priority basis.

Article extracted from this publication >>  September 18, 1987