Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, analyzing President Zail Singh’s letter to Rajiv Gandhi, Indian Express in a FrontPage comment said that “the President of India has in effect called the Prime Minister of India a liar”.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: Even the generally pro Gandhi Times of India held Rajiv “primarily responsible for this unfortunate development” and described his statement in the Parliament as “wholly unconvincing”.
Ambassador: Very correct. s
Journalist: Don’t you think Rajiv Gandhi’s entire political career is based on lies, right from his so called “reluctant” entry into politics to gaining power through engineering Sikh massacre in November, 1984?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, barely hours after the publication of Indian President’s private letter to Gandhi by Indian Express, the C.B.1. raided its industrialist publisher Mr. R.N. Goenka’s house and arrested his adviser Mr. Gurumurthy.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: C.B.I., however, maintains that the raid on Mr. Goenka’s residence and the arrest of Mr. Gurumurthy were not related to the publication of President’s letter in the Indian Express. Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: Don’t you think it is another lie in the style and manner perfected by Rajiv and his government? Does it not show democracy is dead in India and the press has freedom only to praise the rulers and not to criticize them?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
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Journalist: Mr. Ambassador, talking to India Today’s correspondent, Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Surjit Singh Barnala reportedly said that in Sikhism politics and religion go together.
Ambassador: That’s right.
Journalist: But Rajiv Gandhi’s government has decided to enact alaw banning mixing of religion with politics.
Ambassador: Very correct.
Journalist: What does Barnala propose to do after the ban comes into effect? Don’t you think that the ban on mixing religion with politics would mean end of Sikhs as a separate entity?
Ambassador: Not in national interest to disclose.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 20, 1987
