Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, every religion has its own initiation ceremony to formally admit an individual into its fold.

Ambassador: That’s right.

Journalist: Christians have baptism ceremony, Muslims have circumcision ceremony Hindus have “Mundan” (Headshaving) ceremony and Sikh have “KhandedaAmrit (nectar of the doubleedged sword) ceremony.

Ambassador: Very correct.

Journalist: How is it that the Indian Army circular No. 153 describes individuals initiated into Sikh religion through ‘‘KhandedaAmrit”’ as dangerous persons? Does it mean that only those who have gone through ‘‘Mundan’”’ ceremony are patriotic and others antinational?

Ambassador: Not in National Interest to Disclose.

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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, election analysts have shown that in India guillible masses can be more easily manipulated through catchy slogans than through positive economic programs.

Ambassador: That’s right.

Journalist: Indira Gandhi won the elections first by “‘Garibi Hatao” (remove poverty) slogan and then by “Indira Bachao” (Save Indira) slogan. Rajiv Gandhi smashed the opposition by his ‘Sikh Makao’’ (finish Sikhs) slogan.

Ambassador: Very correct.

Journalist: What do you think would be the next slogan of the Congress(I)? Do you know that Hindi, Hindu and Hindustan is the hot favourite of Rajiv Gandhi?

‘Ambassador: Not in National Interest to Disclose.

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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, the new Soviet Chief Mikhail Garbechev suspended all protocol to give Rajiv Gandhi a preferrential welcome when the latter went to Moscow to attend the funeral of Konstaintin Chernenko.

Ambassador: That’s right.

Journalist: Also India has strongly reacted to the granting of Asylum by America to the defecting Soviet diplomat posted in India.

Ambassador: Very correct.

Journalist: Do you think America can succeed in extricating India from the economic and military stranglehold of the Soviet Union through such promises as supplying sophisticated arms in order to reduce India’s dependence on the Soviet Union?

 Ambassador: Not in National Interest to Disclose.

Article extracted from this publication >>  April 5, 1985