Washington, Sept. 5: Though the U.S. Government officials here share the unhappiness expressed by Ambassador Moynihan over the restrictions reportedly placed by the Government of India on the entry of American scholars and students wishing to study in Indian institutions, they take the view that this is a matter purely between the Indian Government and members of the American academic community affected by the restrictions. They disagree with the thrust of of a recent New York Times report from Delhi which characterised it as a “slap” against the United States. “We do not see how we come into the picture,” a U.S. official said. But U.S. officials do feel that if such restrictions are in vogue now, then they could have two side effects. It could alienate sections of the U.S. academic community which has been an important pro-Indian constituency in this country and it could lead to a loss of interest in India and Indian affairs. Enquiries here reveal that some of the students and scholars who have been affected by the Government of India’s restrictions have been knocking on the doors of the Senators and Congressmen who have been always sympathetic to India and complaining to them about their being denied entry into India. Some of them, it appears, have also been asking the State Department to impose retaliatory restrictions on the Indian students who come here each year.
