Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Rajiv Gandhi has again reshuffled Cabinet and pushed his powerful relation, Mr. Arun Nehru to an unimportant position.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: He has inducted Arjan Singh as the Communication Minister while Bhajan Lal of Haryana has been given insignificant portfolios of Environment and Forest.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: What do you say to the popular impression that Rajiv has cornered Arun Nehru as he had designs to displace Rajiv? When is he going to displace Arjan Singh for similar fears?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Border Security Force has again killed sixteen persons at the Indo Pak border in the Punjab and Rajasthan states.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: Official spokesman in New Delhi claimed that the victims ‘were mostly Pakistani nationals who were trying to cross over to India.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: What is your opinion about the reported charge by knowledge able circles in Punjab that most of the victims were Sikh young men picked up from their villages? Will the Indian government hand over the bodies to International Red Cross to determine the true identity of the victims?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, writing in the Tribune, its Editor, Mr. V.N. Narayanan warned, “Punjab is too serious a problem to be a plaything for partisan politicians. Double standards are the last thing it can brook. What is sauce for the Gurkha goose ought to be sauce for the Sikh gander”.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: He goes on to advise, “Ignore Chandigarh but do not ignore Jodhpur detenues and deserters rehabilitation. Ignore Fazilka and Abohar but not the SYL Canal, etc., etc.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Don’t you think he is asking Sikhs to ignore all that they ‘were demanding like Chandigarh, river waters, etc. and instead be satisfied with the status quo? What stopped him from saying “ignore Operation Blue Star and/ November 1984 holocaust, but do not punish culprits like H.K.L, Bhagat and Jagdish Tytler; ignore fake encounters and paramilitary atrocities in Punjab, but do not remove Barnala ignore persecution of Amritdhari, but do not permit Sikh migration to Punjab?”
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Article extracted from this publication >> October 31, 1986
