[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 64 (Thursday, May 10, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E765]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E765]]



 SIKH ACTIVIST MANN SHOULD APOLOGIZE FOR THREAT ISSUED BY A LEADER OF 
                               HIS PARTY

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 9, 2001

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, April 29, a number of Sikh 
leaders got together for Khalistan Day celebrations in Stockton, 
California. Overall, the event was very successful and it featured a 
number of outstanding speakers, including Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, 
President of the Council of Khalistan, and Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, the 
Managing Editor of the International Journal of Sikh Affairs. 
Unfortunately, something that happened to Dr. Sekhon seriously marred 
this otherwise successful, celebratory event.
  According to Burning Punjab, an online news service, a leading 
supporter of Member of Parliament Simranjit Singh Mann made a ``death 
threat'' against Dr. Sekhon after Dr. Sekhon strongly criticized Mr. 
Mann. Most of us in this House have been subjected to strong criticism 
but we have never threatened our critics nor would we permit our 
supporters to do so. That is not the democratic way.
  Mr. Mann, a former member of the Punjab police who has become an 
Indian politician, has been silent on this event. If Mr. Mann wants to 
be taken seriously as a leader in a democratic state, he must condemn 
the threat that his supporter made and issue an apology on behalf of 
his party to Dr. Sekhon. Otherwise, people will see that there is no 
difference between Mr. Mann and other Indian politicians.
  The Indian government's oppression of Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, and 
other religious minorities in India has been very well documented. Has 
that oppression now extended to an effort to suppress their critics in 
free countries like ours?

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