Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Rajiv Gandhi has suddenly announced a three-day visit to the Soviet Union from July 2.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: He will reportedly discuss international questions and bilateral relations with the Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Ambassador; Very correct.
Journalist: Don’t you think after his humiliating defeat in Haryana elections, his real purpose in going to Moscow is to seek advice on ‘how to survive this terrible catastrophe? Don’t you think Soviets will make him another puppet, the way they have done with Najib of Afghanistan?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, the ancient Greeks believed that sins of parents visit their children.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: To humble the old guard in the Congress, late Indira Gandhi engineered the defeat of the official Congress candidate in the Presidential election by putting up Mr. V.V. Giri against N. Sanjeeva Reddy.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Don’t you think, to reassert themselves, the old guard won’t hesitate to defeat the official Congress (I) candidate in the July 1987 presidential election by supporting the opposition sponsored candidate?
Ambassador; Not in national interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, after Indira Gandhi’s assassination, President Zail Singh administered the oath of office to Rajiv Gandhi as Prime Minister of India violating the constitutional obligation of making the senior most cabinet member as the acting Prime Minister.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: He did it in the hope that considering his unquestioned loyalty to the Nehru dynasty, Rajiv will gratefully give him another term. Because of inbred ingratitude Rajiv, however, turned against Zail Singh and gave a shabby treatment to him.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Don’t you think Zail Singh will do anything to humble Rajiv even if it means working for a vertical split in the Congress (I)? Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 26, 1987
