[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''

                                 ______


                        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]
                                  ____


                 [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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