[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 27 (Friday, March 11, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
SIKH NATION CONDEMNS CONGRESS PARTY DEATH WARRANT

                                 ______


                            HON. DAN BURTON

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 10, 1994

  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to your 
attention the reward of $333,333 or 10 million rupees offered by 
India's ruling Congress Party for any person who assassinates Pakistani 
writer Sidiq Hussain. Mr. Hussain's book, ``Tarik-e-Mujahedeen [History 
of Rebels]'', contains disparaging and derogatory remarks about the 
Sikh Gurus, who are revered by the world's 21 million Sikhs.
  I would like to point out, however, that the Congress Party death 
warrant directly violates Sikh principles. No major Sikh religious 
group has endorsed the death warrant. The call for Mr. Hussain's death 
was issued by Punjab Youth Congress President, Mr. Ramesh Singla, who 
is a Hindu, not a Sikh. Furthermore, the Congress Party is India's 
ruling political party, it is not a Sikh religious party of any kind.
  I urge the Congress Party to withdraw its death warrant immediately. 
It is antidemocratic and barbaric. I am amazed that the ruling party of 
the world's so-called largest democracy could even participate in, much 
less initiate such as exercise. It says volumes about the state of 
Indian democracy.
  For the Record, I am inserting a press release from the Council of 
Khalistan, headed by Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh. The press release clearly 
indicates Sikh condemnation for the Congress Party death warrant.

 Congress Party Issues Death Warrant For Writer--Puts Price on Head of 
    Dr. Sidiq Hussain In Shameless Violation of Sikh Ethical Conduct

       Washington DC, March 7, 1994.--In direct violation of Sikh 
     principles, India's ruling Congress Party yesterday offered 
     $333,333 or 10 million rupees to anyone who assassinated 
     Pakistani writer Sadiq Hussain. Mr. Hussain's book, Tarik-e-
     Mujahedeen (History of the Rebels), contains profane and 
     derogatory remarks about the Sikh Gurus, who are revered by 
     the world's 21 million Sikhs. The Congress Party is the 
     ruling Indian political party. It is not a Sikh religious 
     group of any kind. It was the Congress Party that attacked 
     the holy Sikh Golden Temple in June 1984, and is still 
     despised by Sikhs the world over.
       No popular Sikh group has endorsed or supported the 
     Congress Party's ``death warrant.'' The ``death warrant'', 
     which subverts Sikh religious institutions and procedures for 
     dealing with Mr. Hussain's book, is the first of its kind in 
     Sikh history. Indeed, the ``death warrant'' was issued in a 
     statement on Sunday by Mr. Ramesh Singla of the Congress 
     Party, who is a Hindu, not a Sikh.
       Commenting on the Congress Party ``death warrant,'' Dr. 
     Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President Council of Khalistan, said: 
     ``I categorically condemn the Congress Party's attack on the 
     natural catholicity of the Sikh religion. How dare the 
     Congress Party attack the Sikh religion by issuing a ``death 
     warrant'' in breach of Sikh principles. How dare the Congress 
     Party subvert the authority of the Akal Takht (seat of Sikh 
     temporal authority in Amritsar, Punjab, Khalistan) to deal 
     with this matter. The Congress Party destroyed the Akal Takht 
     in June 1984 and it is attacking the Akal Takht again by 
     issuing this `death warrant.' The Sikh nation will not stand 
     for it.''
       ``The Congress Party, which is responsible for ethnic 
     cleansing in Khalistan during the past ten years, has not 
     right to speak on behalf of the affairs of the Sikhs. If the 
     Congress Party wants to help the Sikh nation, it should 
     respect our October 7, 1987 declaration of independence, and 
     vacate Khalistan immediately!''
       ``This terrorist death warrant is the hardiwork of India's 
     Research and Analysis Wing (India's intelligence wing, 
     R.A.W.). Now that the movement for a free Khalistan has 
     become peaceful and non-violent, this controversy was created 
     by R.A.W. in order to project the Sikh nation as 
     fundamentalists and terrorists in the international fora. 
     Nevertheless, those who are aware of ground realities will 
     see that no Sikh religious institution or political party has 
     endorsed the terrorist Congress Party ``death warrant.''
       ``It is the height of hypocrisy for the Congress Party, 
     whose government has murdered Sikhs it deems as `terrorist,' 
     to issue this `death warrant.' Why doesn't Punjab Police 
     Chief K.P.S. Gill arrest and kill Congress Party members for 
     encouraging terrorism, as does and has done to Sikhs in 
     Punjab, Khalistan for supposedly engaging in the same 
     crimes.''
       ``It is quite possible that this controversy is a prelude 
     to war with Pakistan over Kashmir. R.A.W. wants the Sikh 
     nation to side with India, and has created this controversy 
     in order to garner support for the Indian government. But the 
     Sikh nation will not be fooled. In case of a war between 
     India and Pakistan, the Sikh nation will fight against India 
     for the liberation of Khalistan. We reject the Congress 
     Party's barbaric `death warrant,' and demand that Sikh 
     religious institutions be allowed to peacefully and 
     responsibly address Mr. Hussain's book, which is financed by 
     R.A.W. The Congress Party should remove itself from the 
     affairs of the Sikh nation and not insult us by disrespecting 
     the religious authority of the Akal Takht.
       Pakistan is not our enemy. The tyrannical Indian government 
     and the Congress Party is our enemy. They are the ones 
     brutally occupying our country, Khalistan. The Sikh nation 
     wants independence, and we will direct ourselves towards 
     Khalistan, and nothing else.

                          ____________________