Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, no Sikh organization or individual threatened to resort to violence in Punjab during the “Martydrom Week” from June 17. In fact Sikh leaders called for a perfectly peaceful observance of the week.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: Still the government made unprecedented security arrangements and deployed over 100,000 additional troops in Punjab which is already overflowing with army and paramilitary units.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: How is it that the Govt. rushes army to Punjab even when violence occurs outside that State? Don’t you think that the heavy army deployment was just to create a myth of an ‘explosive situation’ in order to show that the Government was competently handling the situation?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
+ + +
Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi declared at a press conference in Washington that India was not interested in buying weapons from America.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: He explained that India had unpleasant experience in the past in getting spare parts from United States which in time of war can greatly damage India’s fighting capacity.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Do you think that India’s anxiety to ensure unrestricted flow of spare parts is indicative of a possible confrontation with any neighbor? Or could it mean that India is not allowed by the Soviets to trade in weapons with the U.S.?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
+ + +
Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Rajiv Gandhi came to Paris with all the paraphernalia of a circus magnate — dancers, elephants, fortunetellers and what notes.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: Earlier he had forced the French envoy in Delhi to be recalled because of his alleged involvement in the biggest spy ring that India busted in 37 years of its independence.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Do you think the purpose of the circus show was to neutralize the hasty action against French envoy and to create a favorable climate for arms bargain with France? Or could it be just a childish antic conceived and carried out by his prankish ‘Doon School’ cronies?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 21, 1985
