NEW DELHI: (UNI) The Lok Sabha today took serious exception to American ambassador William Clark’s visit to Punjab last month.
Members from both sides objected to the Ambassador receiving memoranda from the All India Sikh Students Federation, which was tantamount to interference in the internal matters of India.
External Affairs Minister I.K. Gujral, who intervened during question hour, told the agitated members that under normal practice the Ambassadors who visit different states were not permitted to receive memoranda from any Organisation.
“The government is looking into the matter. So far nothing adverse has come to our notice,” Mr Gujral said.
Mr Gujral said the ban on Ambassadors visiting Punjab had been “removed” a few months ago.
He said that besides Mr Clark several other Ambassadors stationed in Delhi and visited the border state.
The US Ambassador had visited Punjab from August 6 to 10 and toured the “no restricted” border areas, Patiala, Amritsar and Chandigarh. Among others, Mr Clark had met the Governors of Punjab and Haryana and the GOC of Western Command.
Asked if his visit was a prelude to US President George Bush’s visit to India, Mr Gujral said the US President had been invited to India, but no date had been fixed as yet.
Replying to the main question of Mr Sanat Kumar Mandal, Minister of State for External Affairs Hani Kishore Singh said his ministry had “confirmed” that Mr Clark sent a secret report to his government on his visit to Punjab from the US Embassy here.
He, however, said he did not know its contents, “The Government of India cannot comment on a US official’s secret report to his own government, the contents of which are not known to us,” he added.
Replying to a spate of supplementaries, Mr Gujral said Punjab was not a closed area. Several Ambassadors had visited the state they give advance information about their visits, he told Mr Indra jit Gupta (CPI),
Mr Gupta objected to Mr Clark meeting Mr S.S. Mann, who had allegedly sought open US help to put pressure on the Indian government in favour of their demand for “Khalistan”. He said Mr Clark’s visit was aimed indirectly at what Amnesty International was seeking to do.
Militants’ warning on corruption
CHANDIGARH: Four militant organisations warned officials of the Punjab Government in Chandigarh and at Ropar against corruption.
In a statement issued here, the Babbar Khalsa, K.C.F., the K.L.F. and the A.I.S.S.F. (Daljit) said that such officials should desist from corrupt practices and harassing innocent and poor people failing which action would be initiated against them.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 28, 1990
