CHANDIGARH: The PHRO Gen Sec. D.S. Gill denied secret meetings with officials of the US state department during his 5 week visit. In a statement issued here Gill said he addressed groups of Congressmen, representatives of govt and non govt organizations and other leaders. He said the main theme of his talks was the widespread violation of human rights in Punjab and that the people were alienated. This was vindicated by the election result. He also made it clear that the US and other govts must persuade India to stop atrocities in Punjab. Otherwise, he said, the situation might worsen leading to unpredictable consequences.
Gill maintained that there was no question of his meetings being considered secret as made out in a dispatch in India Abroad, a pro-India tabloid of New York. He said reports in a section of the press in India were misleading.
The PHRO had welcomed VP Singh as Prime Minister and had expected him to take a bold initiative to solve the Punjab problem.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 29, 1989
