Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, The Globe and Mail, Canada has come out with a story in its issue of November 21 accusing India of running an intelligence operation designed to divide Canada’s Sikh Community. Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: The story also suggests that as a result of its intelligence activities India itself may have been responsible for the crash of the AirIndia Jet 747 off the coast of Ireland.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Don’t you think that these revelations project the Indian government in its true colors? Does it not suggest that it must be resorting to much worse manipulations within the country to discredit the unfortunate Sikh minority?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, Punjab government had set up a judicial commission to review the cases of Sikhs detained under black laws.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: The judicial commission headed by Justice Ajit Singh Bains had, after review, recommended the release of nearly 2,000 detenus, but so far only about 250 of them have been released.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: How is it that government is not releasing the innocent Sikhs even after a clear recommendation by the Judicial Commission? Is it because of the Central government’s pressure or is it that Barnala government itself is not interested in releasing them?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, India appears to have suddenly developed interest in establishing better economic ties with Pakistan. : Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: Yet it keeps repeating that Pakistan was making nuclear weapons to use against India. Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Does it show that India is just obsessed with love hate relationship? Or could it be that India is using the ruse of better economic ties to make Pakistan complacent about its real designs and also to prevent Pakistan from showing any sympathy to the Sikh cause? Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 29, 1985
