[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 194 (Thursday, December 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2309-E2312]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
AN INDEPENDENT KHALISTAN
______
HON. PHILIP M. CRANE
of illinois
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, December 6, 1995
Mr. CRANE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform my colleagues, the
American people, and the international community about the recent surge
of activity that has occurred in this town regarding the Sikh struggle
for an independent Khalistan.
On October 19, 1995, 65 Members of Congress signed a letter to Indian
Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao demanding the release of Sikh human
rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra. Mr. Khalra was abducted by Indian
police in front of his home on September 6. It appears that Mr. Khalra
represents a threat to the Indian Government because he had recently
published a report in which he estimated that Indian police in Punjab,
working under the direction of the Indian Government, had abducted
murdered, and cremated over 25,000 Sikhs. Sikhs have long accused the
Indian police in Punjab of conducting their terror campaign against the
Sikhs according to this modus operandi. Mr. Khlara confirmed these
accusations by tallying up the so-called unidentified bodies registered
in municipal cremation grounds throughout Punjab. It should be known
that in Punjab, family networks are extremely tight which would leave
rare occasion for someone to die and not have the body identified by
the next of kin. In the Amritsar District alone, Mr. Khalra found 6,017
unidentified bodies registered in the municipal crematorium. These
findings seem to support Mr. Khalra's claim that the Punjab police have
been killing Sikh and cremating their remains as unidentified bodies in
order to erase any evidence of police wrongdoing. Under these
circumstances we can understand why Amnesty International states in its
latest report, ``Determining the Fate of the `Disappeared in Punjab,''
that ``the Punjab Police have been allowed to commit human rights
violations with impunity.''
As a result of the letter of the 65 Members of Congress, President
Clinton wrote a letter to Congressman Gary Condit, the initiator of the
letter to express that he, too, is ``concerned by reports regarding
Jaswant Singh Khalra.'' The President stated that the ``U.S. Embassy in
New Delhi has already made inquiries into these allegations with
various Indian Government agencies, and Ambassador Wisner has raiser
the issue with high-ranking officials.''
Turning up the pressure on India even further, Congressman Condit is
sending a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations,
Boutros-Boutros Ghali, in which he asks the United Nations to ``issue a
strong statement condemning the murders of over 25,000 Sikhs'' and to
``demand the release of Mr. Khalra by India immediately.''
The media has been watching the congressional activity on behalf of
the Sikhs closely. The November 28 issue of the Washington Times ran an
article titled, ``Clinton checks India'', reporting on President
Clinton's condemnation of India's abduction of Mr. Khalra. On November
3, the Washington Times also reported on an encounter between Dr.
Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan and Indian
Ambassador S.S. Ray which occurred in the halls of the Longworth House
Office Building. Dr. Aulakh, the article reports, ``blames Mr. Ray for
widespread human rights abuses when the ambassador was Governor of
Punjab in the late 1980's. During that time thousands died in violence
linked to Sikh demands for a separate homeland.'' When Dr. Aulakh
encountered Mr. Ray in the Longworth building, he did not hestate to
speak his mind. As the article quotes Dr. Aulakh: ``I walked up to him
and told him, `You are a murderer and should not be walking these
halls.' ''
The efforts of Dr. Aulakh and the Council of Khalistan on behalf of
the Sikh nation in its struggle for freedom from India have been highly
successful. According to News India-Times, ``Sikh Nation activists led
by Gurmit Singh Aulakh perhaps pose the biggest challenge and threat to
India's lobbying efforts in the capital.'' Mr. Speaker, I would submit
that the reason for the success of the Sikh nation in the U.S. Congress
is due half in part by extremely hard work on the part of the Sikhs and
half in part to the fact that evidence against India is so
overwhelming. Though it claims to be a democracy, India is one of the
most brutal regimes in the world regarding its dealings with minority
nations and people under its rule.
[[Page E 2310]]
Against the efforts of India's lobbying machine Dr. Aulakh, has been
able to highlight this fact. India-West, November 10, has reported that
there is speculation that Ambassador S.S. Ray may be recalled back to
New Delhi. This is due in part to his ineffectiveness at countering
issues exposed by Dr. Aulakh. Perhaps Mr. Ray is not to blame. It
appears that truth is on the side of the Sikh nation and the time has
come for India to cease its oppression of the Sikhs and honor their
right of freedom.
I submit for the Record material pertinent to the recent
congressional activity in favor of the struggle for Sikh freedom.
House of Representatives
Washington, DC, October 19, 1955.
Hon. P.V. Narashima Rao,
Prime Minister of India, Chankaya Puri, New Delhi, India.
Dear Prime Minister Rao: According to an Amnesty
International ``Urgent Action'' bulletin issued on September
7, Punjab police abducted Sikh human rights activist Jaswant
Singh Khalra from his home in Amritsar on September 6. His
whereabouts are unknown. As the general secretary of Human
Rights Wing (Shiromani Akali Dal), Mr. Khalra had published a
report showing that the Punjab police have arrested more than
25,000 young Sikh men, tortured them, murdered them, then
declared them ``unidentified'' and cremated their bodies.
These atrocities are intolerable in any country, especially
one that calls itself a democracy. After the report was
published, Mr. Khalra was told by the Amritsar district
police chief, ``We have made 25,000 disappear. It would be
easy to make one more disappear.'' This abuse of police power
is inexcusable.
The right to speak out and expose atrocities is one of the
most fundamental rights of free individuals. As long as Mr.
Khalra remains in detention, how can anyone in India feel
secure exercising his or her democratic liberties?
Many of us wrote to you previously urging that the
passports of Sikh leader Samranjit Singh Mann and Dalit
(``black untouchable'') leader V.T. Rajshekar be restored.
Your government has not acted, and Mr. Mann and Mr. Rajshekar
remain unable to travel. The right to travel is fundamental
to a democratic nation.
Mr. Prime Minister, we call upon your government to release
Mr. Khalra immediately. We also urge you to restore the
passports of Mr. Rajshekar and Mr. Mann. If India is a
democratic country, it must end these gross violations of
human rights and democratic principles. Only then can
democracy truly begin to flower. We await your response.
Sincerely,
Gary A. Condit, M.C.; James A. Traficant, M.C.; William
Jefferson, M.C.; Peter King, M.C.; Randy ``Duke''
Cunningham, M.C.; Roscoe Bartlett, M.C.; Jack Fields,
M.C.; Donald M. Payne, M.C.; Dan Burton, M.C.; Phil
Crane, M.C.; Richard Pombo, M.C.; Karen McCarthy, M.C.;
Neil Abercrombie, M.C.; Wally Herger, M.C.; Dana
Rohrabacher, M.C.; Esteban Torres, M.C.; Ronald V.
Dellums, M.C.; John T. Doolittle, M.C.; Michael Forbes,
M.C.; Enid G. Waldholtz, M.C.; Gil Gutknecht, M.C.;
Victor Frazer, M.C.; John Porter, M.C.; Sam Gejdenson,
M.C.; Bob Livingston, M.C.; Edolphus Towns, M.C.; Chris
Smith, M.C.; William O. Lipinski, M.C.; Scott Klug,
M.C.; Lincoln Diaz-Balart, M.C.; Dick Zimmer, M.C.;
Collin Peterson, M.C.; Pete Geren, M.C.; Joe Skeen,
M.C.; Duncan Hunter, M.C.; Jim Ramstad, M.C.; Floyd
Flake, M.C.; Bernie Sanders, M.C.; Matt Salmon, M.C.;
Richard ``Doc'' Hastings, M.C.; Ileana Ros-Lehtiner,
M.C.; Phil English, M.C.; Richard Burr, M.C.; Connie
Morella, M.C.; Carlos Romero-Barcelo, M.C.; Sanford D.
Bishop, M.C.; Jim Moran, M.C.; Martin R. Hoke, M.C.;
Jack Metcalf, M.C.; Amo Houghton, M.C.; Jerry Solomon,
M.C.; Robert Torricelli, M.C.; Ed Whitfield, M.C.;
Melvin L. Watt, M.C.; Jim Kolbe, M.C.; John Shadegg,
M.C.; J.D. Hayworth, M.C.; James H. Quillen, M.C.;
Barbara Cubin, M.C.; Charlie Norwood, M.C.; Vic Fazio,
M.C.; Chris Cox, M.C.; Joe Scarborough, M.C.; Bill
Richardson, M.C.; Steve Schiff, M.C.
____
Council of Khalistan,
Washington, DC.
U.S. Congress Demands Release of Khalra, Murders of Over 25,000 Sikhs
Exposed
Washington, October 20.--A bipartisan group of 65 Members
of Congress today wrote to Indian Prime Minister P.V.
Narasimha Rao demanding that Sikh human rights activist
Jaswant Singh Khalra, the general secretary of the Human
Rights Wing (Shiromani Akali Dal) be released. Khalra was
abducted by Amritsar police on September 6 after he issued a
report showing that the Indian regime has abducted more than
25,000 young Sikh men, tortured them, murdered them, declared
their bodies ``unidentified'' and cremated them. ``After the
report was published,'' the letter says, ``Mr. Khalra was
told by the Amritsar district police chief, `We have made
25,000 disappear. It would be easy to make one more
disappear.' ''
The letter was initiated by Rep. Gary Condit (D-Cal.),
ranking member of an Agriculture subcommittee and a longtime
supporter of Sikh freedom. It carried more signatures than
any previous letter concerning Indian tyranny. Signers of the
letter include members of the leadership of both parties such
as Rep. Gerald Solomon, chairman of the powerful House Rules
Committee; Appropriations Committee chairman Rep. Robert
Livingston (R-La.); Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ),
chairman of the Subcommittee on International Operations and
Human Rights; Rep. Ronald Dellums (D-Cal.), ranking minority
member of the National Security Committee; Congressional
Black Caucus chairman Donald Payne (D-NJ); Rep. Philip M.
Crane (R-Ill.), chairman of the Ways and Means subcommittee
on Trade; Rep. Vic Fazio (D-Cal), chairman of the Democratic
Caucus; Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind), chairman of the Southern
Hemisphere subcommittee and a longtime friend of the Sikh
nation; and other prominent members too numerous to list.
``These atrocities are unacceptable in any country,'' the
letter says, ``especially one that calls itself a
democracy.'' India has not only murdered more than 120,000
Sikhs since 1984, it has also killed over 200,000 Christians
in Nagaland since 1947, over 43,000 Kashmiri Muslims since
1988, tens of thousands of Assamese, Manipuris, and others,
and thousands of Dalits (``black untouchables'').
``Disappearances`` like M. Khalra's are routine.
``The right to speak out and expose atrocities is one of
the most fundamental rights of free individuals,'' the letter
says. ``As long as Mr. Khalra remains in detention, how can
anyone in India feel secure exercising his or her democratic
rights?'' It goes on to say, ``If India is a democratic
country, it must end these gross violations of human rights
and democratic principles. Only then can democracy truly
begin to flower.''
``The Sikh nation thanks these freedom-loving Members of
Congress for their support of Mr. Khalra's freedom,'' said
Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of
Khalistan. ``Mr. Khalra has been made to `disappear' because
he exposed India's brutal tyranny against the Sikh nation,''
he said. ``The Sikh nation can no longer suffer under this
brutal regime. The time has come to start a shantmai morcha
(peaceful agitation) to liberate Khalistan,'' Dr. Aulakh
said. Khalistan is the independent Sikh country declared on
October 7, 1987. ``It is time for India to recognize the
inevitable and get out of Khalistan. Democratic principles
demand it.''
____
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, November 27, 1995.
Hon. Boutros-Boutros Ghali,
Secretary General of the United Nations, United Nations
Headquarters, New York, NY.
Dear Secretary General Ghali: While I am pleased that the
United Nations took such strong action to condemn Nigeria for
its execution of nine political activists, I am concerned
that repression in other regions of the world continues to go
unnoticed. Specifically, human rights abuses in India have
been prevalent and must cease.
Earlier this year, Jaswant Singh Khalra, general secretary
of the Human Rights Wing (Shiromani Akali Dal), issued a
report showing that over 25,000 young Sikh men have been
kidnapped by the Indian government, tortured and killed. His
report detailed how their bodies were then listed as
``unidentified'' and cremated to cover up police
responsibility. These young Sikhs are among more than 150,000
Sikhs murdered by the Indian government in Punjab, Khalistan
since 1984. For this, Mr. Khalra was abducted by the police
in Amritsar on September 6. His whereabouts remain unknown.
Mr. Khalra had been previously told by the Amritsar police
chief that ``it would not be hard to make one more
disappear.'' In an Urgent Action bulletin issued on September
7, Amnesty International expressed fear that he may be made
to ``disappear'' and tortured.
On October 19, sixty-five members of the U.S. Congress,
including myself, wrote to Indian Prime Minister P.V.
Narashima Rao demanding the release of Mr. Khalra. I am
enclosing a copy of that letter. No action has been taken. We
are concerned that Mr. Khalra will simply become one more
victim of Indian ``democracy.'' I am also enclosing recent
correspondence I received from President Clinton expressing
his concern about this situation.
In light of your action against the Nigerian government, it
is hypocritical for the United Nations to turn a blind eye to
India's tyranny. I call upon you to take strong action
against India. Specifically, I ask that the United Nations
issue a strong statement condemning the murders of over
25,000 Sikhs and that the United Nations demand the release
of Mr. Khalra by India immediately.
It is incumbent upon the U.N. under the United Nations
charter to defend basic human rights. Freedom is the
universal right of all peoples and nations. I look forward to
your response.
Sincerely,
Gary A. Condit,
Member of Congress.
____
The White House
Washington, November 15, 1995.
Representative Gary A. Condit,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Condit: Thank you for sharing with me
your recent letter to Prime Minister Rao of India regarding
the situation in Punjab.
[[Page E 2311]]
I, too, am concerned by the reports regarding Jaswant Singh
Khalra. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi has already made
inquiries into these allegations with various Indian
government agencies, and Ambassador Wisner has raised the
issue with high-ranking Indian officials. We will continue
these efforts. I appreciate your interest and concern on this
issue.
With best wishes and warm regards.
Sincerely,
Bill Clinton.
____
[From India Abroad, Dec. 1, 1995]
Clinton ``Concerned'' by Pro-Khalistani's Arrest
(By Aziz Haniffa)
Washington.--In a letter that is likely to ignite yet
another controversy in Indo-U.S. political and diplomatic
relations, President Clinton has said that he shares the
concern of several pro-Khalistani legislators over the
abduction of a Sikh human rights activist.
In a missive to Rep. Gary Condit, Democrat from California,
who has publicly endorsed the concept of a separate state of
Khalistan, Clinton said, ``I, too, am concerned by the
reports regarding Jaswant Singh Khalra,'' the general
secretary of the Human Rights Wing (Shiromani Akali Dal).
The President, while thanking Condit ``for sharing with me
your recent letter to Prime Minister (Narasimha) Rao of India
regarding the situation in Punjab,'' said that ``the U.S.
Embassy in New Delhi has already made inquiries into these
allegations with various Indian government agencies, and
Ambassador Wisner has raised the issue with high-ranking
Indian officials.'' ``We will continue these efforts,''
Clinton promised Condit, and informed the legislator that he
appreciated ``your interest and concern on the issue.''
Last month, Condit initiated a letter to Rao that was co-
signed by a bipartisan group of 64 other legislators that
demanded that Khalra be released.
The letter to Rao, a copy of which was sent to Clinton,
said that according to Amnesty International's ``Urgent
Action'' bulletin issued on Sept. 7, Punjab police had
abducted Khalra from his home in Amritsar on Sept. 6, and his
whereabouts were unknown.
The letter, written at the urging of the Council of
Khalistan, the leading pro-Khalistan lobbying group in the
United States, headed by Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, noted that
Khalra had published a report showing that the Punjab police
have arrested more than 25,000 young Sikh men, tortured them,
murdered them, then declared them ``unidentified'' and
cremated their bodies.
The letter by the 65 legislators to Rao said, ``These
atrocities are intolerable in any country, especially one
that calls itself a democracy.''
It said that after Khalra's report was published he had
been told by the Amritsar district police chief, ``We have
made 25,000 disappear (and) it would be easy to make one more
disappear.''
The lawmakers told Rao that ``this abuse of police power is
inexcusable.''
``The right to speak out and expose atrocities is one of
the most fundamental rights of free individuals,'' they said
and asserted that ``as long as Mr. Khalra remains in
detention, how can anyone in India feel secure exercising his
or her democratic liberties?''
They noted that several of them had written to Rao
previously urging that the passports of Sikh leader Simranjit
Singh Mann and Dalit leader V.T. Rajshekar be restored.
The letter to Rao, which was then passed on to Clinton,
carried more signatures than any previous letter the Council
of Khalistan has been able to muster in its over 10 years of
lobbying Congress, and included members of the leadership of
both parties such as Reps. Gerald Solomon, Republican from
New York who chairs the House Rules Committee; Robert
Livingston, Republican from Louisiana, chairman of the
Appropriations Committee; Christopher Smith, Republican from
New Jersey, chairman of the House International Relations
Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights;
Ronald Dellums, Democrat from California, ranking minority
member of the National Security Committee; Donald Payne,
Democrat from New Jersey, chairman of the Congressional Black
Caucus; Philip Crane, Republican from Illinois, chairman of
the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade; and Vic Fazio,
Democrat from California, chairman of the Democratic Caucus.
Aulakh was elected over Clinton's expression of concern in
his letter to Condit, saying, ``President Clinton's letter
once again exposes the Indian regime's true face and explodes
the myth of Indian democracy.''
``We appreciate the support of President Clinton in this
issue,'' Aulakh declared. ``India cannot withstand this kind
of pressure. This scrutiny should make the regime release Mr.
Khalra soon.''
Diplomatic observers acknowledged that Clinton's expression
of concern in reply to a letter from a pro-Khalistani
legislator, and an assurance that his Ambassador to India was
looking into the matter, was a clear indication that the pro-
Khalistanis in the U.S. had scored another coup in terms of
trying to embarrass New Delhi.
One diplomatic observer noted that, when Punjab Chief
Minister Beant Singh was assassinated Aug. 31, Clinton had
not publicly condemned the killing nor had the White House or
the State Department issued any statement. It was left to
Indian correspondents here to elicit a statement out of a
spokesman for the South Asia Bureau, saying that the U.S.
regrets ``the lives lost'' and that Washington deplores
``this senseless act of violence.''
Even then, the spokesman refused to assign any blame to
Sikh terrorists, saying the Administration had seen only news
reports about the murder and had no information on whether it
was a terrorist act.
Later in the week, Condit, obviously buoyed by the letter
from Clinton and egged on by the Council of Khalistan, also
wrote to U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali calling
for U.N. intervention to seek the release of Khalra.
He urged the U.N. to ``take strong action against India,
and wrote specifically that the U.N.'' issue a strong
statement condemning the murders of over 25,000 Sikhs and
that the United Nations demand the release of Mr. Khalra by
India immediately.'' In his message to the U.N. Secretary-
General, Condit also enclosed a copy of the Oct. 19 letter he
and 64 other U.S. legislators wrote to Rao regarding Khalra.
Condit also enclosed a copy of the letter he received from
Clinton expressing his concern about Khalra's case.
____
[From the Washington Times, Nov. 28, 1995]
Clinton Checks India
(By James Morrison)
President Clinton has taken a personal interest in the fate
of an Indian human rights activist held by the government in
New Delhi.
Following a letter-writing campaign from 65 members of
Congress, Mr. Clinton says his envoy to India has made
inquiries into the fate of Jaswant Singh Khalra.
U.S. Ambassador Frank Wisner has made it known in New Delhi
that Washington is watching.
``I, too, am concerned by the reports regarding Jaswant
Singh Khalra,'' Mr. Clinton wrote this month to Rep. Gary A.
Condit.
The California Democrat organized the congressional letter
to Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, a copy of which
was sent to the White House.
Mr. Condit cited an Amnesty International bulletin of Sept.
7 that accused Indian police of abducting Mr. Khalra for
investigating accusations that police in Punjab murdered
thousands of Sikh men.
``The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi has already made inquiries
into these allegations with various Indian government
agencies, and Ambassador Wisner has raised the issue with
high-ranking Indian officials,'' Mr. Clinton wrote.
``We will continue these efforts.''
Mr. Condit's letter to the Indian prime minister noted that
Mr. Khalra ``had published a report showing that the Punjab
police have arrested more than 25,000 young Sikh men,
tortured them, murdered them, then declared them
`unidentified' and cremated their bodies.
``These atrocities are intolerable in any country,
especially one that calls itself a democracy. * * *
``This abuse of police power is inexcusable.''
The congressional letter was the product of effective
lobbying by Gurmit Singh Aulakh of the Council of Khalistan,
which represents Sikhs pressing for a separate homeland.
____
[From the Washington Times, Nov. 3, 1995]
``Murderer,'' He Cried
(By James Morrison)
Whatever the Indian Embassy might think of Gurmit Singh
Aulakh, it would agree he is not a shy man.
Consider a recent encounter with Indian Ambassador
Siddhartha Shankar Ray.
Mr. Aulakh, a leader of Sikh expatriates, spotted Mr. Ray
in the Longworth House Office Building one day last month.
``I walked up to him and told him, `You are a murderer and
you should not be walking these halls,' '' Mr. Aulakh said,
describing the brief confrontation.
Mr. Aulakh, president of the Council of Khalistan, blames
Mr. Ray for widespread human rights abuses when the
ambassador was governor of the Indian state of Punjab in the
late 1980s. During that time thousands died in violence
linked to Sikh demands for a separate homeland.
Mr. Ray could not be reached for comment yesterday.
Mr. Aulakh has most recently been busy on two fronts
directed at India.
He is organizing a rally scheduled for tomorrow at noon in
Lafayette Park to march on the Indian Embassy on the
anniversary of a 1984 confrontation in Delhi in which
thousands of Sikhs were killed.
Mr. Aulakh has also been publicizing a letter signed by 65
members of Congress, calling on Indian Prime Minister P.V.
Narasimha Rao to release Sikh human rights activist Jaswant
Singh Khalra. The letter cites an Amnesty International
bulletin of Sept. 7, accusing Indian police of abducting Mr.
Khalra.
Mr. Khalra ``had published a report showing that the Punjab
police have arrested more than 25,000 young Sikh men,
tortured them, murdered them, then declared them
`unidentified' and cremated their bodies,'' the letter said.
``These atrocities are intolerable in any country,
especially one that calls itself a democracy. . . .This abuse
of police power is inexcusable.''
The letter, organized by Rep. Gary Condit, California
Democrat, drew wide bipartisan congressional support, from
lawmakers including conservative Republican Dan Burton of
Indiana, liberal Democrat Ronald Dellums
[[Page E 2312]]
of California and socialist independent Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
____
[From the News India-Times, Nov. 10, 1995]
Biggest Threat to Lobbying Efforts
Washington.--``Sikh nation'' activists led by Gurmit Singh
Aulakh perhaps pose the biggest challenge and threat to
India's lobbying efforts in the capital, only next to the
anti-India campaign funded by pro-Pakistan forces.
Aulakh got some print mileage last week in the conservative
daily paper, Washington Times, which promptly published his
offensive ``encounter'' with his bete noir, none other than
the Indian ambassador to the US, Siddhartha Shankar Ray. The
juicy part of the report is that Aulakh called Ray ``a
murderer.''
According to the paper, Aulakh, ``a leader of Sikh
expatriates'', spotted Ray in the Longworth House Office
Building one day last month. ``I walked up to him and told
him, you are a murderer and you should not be walking these
halls,'' Aulakh told the paper describing his brief
confrontation.
Aulakh, president of the Council of Khalistan, blames Ray
for ``widespread human rights abuses'' when the ambassador
was governor of Punjab in the late 1980s. ``During that time
thousands died in violence linked to Sikh demands for a
separate land,'' the paper said in its ``embassy row''
column, adding that `'Ray could not be reached for comment.''
News India-Times learned that Ray, who was caught unawares
by the intruder, had reportedly shot back, ``Who are you?''
Later an escort took Aulakh aside and asked him not to spoil
the Hill meeting scheduled by Ray.
The Washington Times further said that Aulakh was
organizing a rally in front of the White House at Lafayette
Park on Nov. 4, culminating in a march to the Indian Embassy
on the anniversary of a 1984 confrontation in Delhi in which
thousands of Sikhs were killed.
Aulakh has also been publicizing a letter signed by 65
members of US Congress, calling on Indian Prime Minister
Narasimba Rao to release ``Sikh human rights activist''
Jaswant Singh Khalra. The letter cites an Amnesty
International bulletin of September 7, accusing Indian police
of abducting Khalra.
Khalra ``had published a report showing that the Punjab
police have arrested more than 25,000 young Sikh men,
tortured them, murdered them, then declared them unidentified
and cremated their bodies,'' the letter said.
``These atrocities are intolerable in any country,
especially one that calls itself a democracy. . . . This
abuse of police power is inexcusable.''
The letter, organized by Rep. Gary Condit, California
Democrat, drew wide bipartisan congressional support, from
lawmakers including conservative Republican Dan Burton of
Indiana, liberal Democrat Ronald Dellums of California and
socialist independent Bernard Sanders of Vermont.
The anti-India signature drive by the Council of Khalistan
in terms of the number of lawmakers on the Hill it had
mobilized, was simply too big to be overwhelmed by a pro-
India signature drive such as the one mobilized by the India
Caucus against the Brown amendment as only 40 house members
had signed the caucus letter.
____________________