[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 148 (Wednesday, November 30, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[Congressional Record: November 30, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
LATE PUNJAB GOVERNOR PAID BY INDIA TO FOMENT ``TERRORISM''
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HON. GERALD B.H. SOLOMON
of new york
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, November 29, 1994
Mr. SOLOMON. Mr. Speaker, new evidence has come to light which shows
that the Indian regime paid the late Punjab governor, Surendra Nath,
$1.5 million dollars to foment covert terrorism in Punjab, Khalistan,
and Kashmir. The Hitavada, an Indian newspaper, reported on November 6
that Mr. Nath, who died in a plane crash, was paid by the regime to
organize and support covert terrorist activities through organizations
infiltrated by his operatives. The Hitavada report was attributed to
highly placed sources inside the Indian regime.
Both Home Minister S.B. Chavan and Internal Security Minister Rajesh
Pilot were well aware of this effort, according to the Hitavada. Even
the former director general of the Punjab police, J.F. Riberio, was
quoted by the Punjab Mail as saying that Mr. Nath's wealth should be
investigated. Mr. Nath had approximately 8 billion rupees, or about
$233 million, at his death, according to the Mail. So far, the Indian
regime has stonewalled as the call for an investigation increases.
A police officer named Bakhsish Singh, who was chief of security for
former Punjab Finance Minister Balwant Singh, remained in very close
touch with Mr. Nath even after being suspended from the police force.
According to the Hitavada, Bakhsish Singh had ``very easy access to Mr.
Nath even at odd hours, and was `well informed' of all the `secret
missions' of the late Governor.'' In this light, it seems probable that
Mr. Nath's operatives murdered Balwant Singh, rather that the so-called
Sikh terrorists who were officially blamed for it.
These acts reflect a pattern. India has murdered over 115,000 Sikhs
since 1984, over 150,000 Christians in Nagaland since 1947, and over
43,000 Kashmiri Muslims since 1988. Our own State Department reports
that from 1991 through 1993, over 41,000 cash bounties were paid to
police officers to kill Sikhs.
This new information demonstrates yet again that democracy in India
is a sham. The genocidal repression of Khalistan and the other nations
seeking their freedom is the true face of Indian democracy. This kind
of repression and brutality should not be supported by decent nations
like ours with either aid or trade.
On October 7, 1987, the Sikh nation declared its independence as
Khalistan. The Sikh nation seeks its freedom by peaceful means. Yet
India continues to seek out opportunities to shed more Sikh blood. Only
a free and independent Khalistan will solve the Punjab problem. The
Congress must act to insure that the United States is on the side of
the peoples seeking their God-given freedom, not on the side of a
brutal, oppressive police state which tries to hide behind the cover of
calling itself ``the world's largest democracy.''
I am entering into the Record the article from the Hitavada and a
news release from the Council of Khalistan, which has done outstanding
work in exposing the real nature of Indian ``democracy.''
[From the Hitavada, November 6, 1994]
Surendra Nath Paid to Fan Militancy?
(From Sukhbir Osan)
Was the late Punjab Governor, Mr. Surendra Nath, who died
in a plane crash with nine family members, behind the
thousands of killings in Punjab and Kashmir through a third
agency?
According to highly placed sources, the Union Government
had made available a huge amount of Rs. 4500 crore to Mr.
Surendra Nath, IPS, who held many a prestigious post from
time to time, to ``prop up'' terrorism in Punjab and Kashmir
in a bid to defame the Punjab and Kashmir militants. Both the
Union Home Minister Mr. S.B. Chavan and the Internal Security
Minister Mr. Rajesh Pilot were well aware of the fact that
Mr. Nath had very successfully infiltrated ``officials'' of
the Punjab and Kashmir Government into various terrorist
groups.
What is further intriguing the minds of the people of
Punjab is the ignorance being feigned by the Government of
India, especially its Home Ministry regarding the
``seizures'' made from ``Punjab Raj Bhawan'' after the demise
of Mr. Nath. The total ``collection'' amounts to Rupees 800
crore inclusive of cash, jewelry, and other immovable
property. In fact, according to sources, this ``body'' seems
to be a part of the amount of Rs. 4500 crore which was placed
at the disposal of Mr. Surendra Nath to root out terrorism.
Mr. Surendra Nath played an all important role to give
strength to the hitherto lesser known C.I.S.F. (Central
Industrial Security Force) and it is being alleged that some
of ``its'' men were used to kill innocent persons including
the family members of the Punjab police personnel as well as
teachers, doctors, engineers, media men and political
personalities.
A ``suspended'' police official Bakhsish Singh remained
very close to Mr. Surendra Nath. Mr. Singh was the security
in charge of the all time high-profile top Akali leader and
the former Punjab Finance Minister Mr. Balwant Singh who was
gunned down by ``terrorists'' in broad day light. Mr.
Bakhsish Singh was immediately suspended after the ghastly
murder of Mr. Balwant Singh. But with the advent of Mr.
Surendra Nath as the Governor of Punjab- Mr. Bakhsish Singh,
a Nath confidant, re-approved on the scene and enjoyed a very
easy access to Mr. Surendra Nath even at ``odd'' hours and
was ``well informed'' of all the ``secret missions'' of the
late Governor.
Though the Union Home Minister, Mr S.B. Chavan has denied
that currency has been seized from the Punjab Raj Bhavan, he
has further complicated the issue by saying that only the
Prime Minister Mr. Rao could say anything about the
``seizures'' made from the Raj Bhavan.
Though the veteran CPI leader and the former Punjab
Minister, Mr. Satyapal Dang as well as the Khalistan
protagonist Mr. Simranjit Singh Mann have asked for a CBI
probe into the Punjab Raj Bhavan seizures, the Government of
India is maintaining a studied silence. Meanwhile, a Human
Rights protagonist and an advocate of the Punjab and Haryana
High Court has filed a written petition in the Supreme Court
for a CBI probe into the matter.
According to sources, the list of seizures prepared by
intelligence agencies is very long and is consisting of
Rupees 110 crore in cash, jewelry worth Rupees 40 crore,
immovable property worth Rupees 650 crore, various political
bangalows and farm houses and above all his attempt to grab
land near Kullu at a throw away price of Rupees 8 crore.
The Prime Minister, these sources maintain, is annoyed with
both Mr. Chawan and Mr. Pilot since he feels that their
infighting is behind all this ``leakage'' to media persons
and may have a ``damaging influence'' on the Congress I
performance in the ensuring elections being held in the
Southern States.
[N.B. 1 crore equal to 10 millions]
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[From the Tribune, November 10, 1994]
Cops Killed Eleven for Awards
(By Our Legal Correspondent)
CHANDIGARH, November 9.--Mr. Satwant Singh Manak, Black Cat
Commando in the Punjab Police, today made startling
disclosures through a writ petition in the Punjab and Haryana
High Court.
He alleged that as many as 11 innocent citizens of the
state were killed by the Punjab Police in his presence. He
also elaborate details of the persons killed.
A Division Bench consisting of Mr. Justice R.P. Sethi and
Mr. Justice Sat Pal issued notice of motion to the state of
Punjab, the Director-General of Police, Mr. Bakshi Ram
(Deputy Inspector-General, Ferozpur Range), Mr. Jarwinder
Singh, Mr. M.K. Tiwari and Ishwar Chander (all SSPs), Mr.
Surjit Singh, Mr. K.B. Singh and Mr. A Gautam (SPs), Mr.
Bachan Singh Randhawa (DSP) and other police officials also.
Those killed by the Punjab Police as alleged by the
petitioner were Nirmal Singh Nimma, a resident of Rajeana
village in Faridkot district, Mr. Baljit Singh of Wadaghar,
Mr. Kulwant Singh Kanta of Ghumiara village, Mr. Baljinder
Singh Bijliwala, Mr. Kartar Singh Karmitti, Mr. Bahal Singh
of Padhari village, Mr. Satwant Singh Sodhi of Chogawan
village, Mr. Gurmukh Singh of Langiana village, Mr. Gurcharan
Singh of Moga and Mr. Nacchhattar Singh Fauji of Daudhar
village.
Mr. D.S. Rajput and Mr. M.S. Gill, counsel for the
petitioner, contended that the persons killed were earlier
tortured both physically and mentally by the police in C.I.A.
Staff, Moga, and other police stations. Some of the bodies
were cremated without following legal formalities. They were
shown to have been killed in fake encounters. The police
officers resorted to this modus operandi to earn cash awards
and out-of-turn promotions. Some of the persons were killed
in the presence of the petitioner, but he was helpless
because everything was being done at the behest of his
superiors.
They submitted that the petitioner was kept in illegal
police custody and was badly tortured.
It was argued by Mr. Rajput that the inquiry regarding the
murder of 11 persons should be made by the CBI or a sitting
judge of the high court. The guilty officers should be
arrested and an FIR lodged against them. It was also demanded
that the next of kin of the deceased should be given
compensation of Rs. 2 lakh. The petitioner also sought
security cover either by the CRPF or ITBP as he apprehended a
threat to his life.
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