[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 131 (Monday, October 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2086-E2087]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COUNCIL OF KHALISTAN CALLS ON ALL SIKHS TO SUPPORT FREEDOM
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HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS
of new york
in the house of representatives
Monday, October 17, 2005
Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, recently, the Council of Khalistan issued an
open letter in which it called for all Sikhs to work for independence
for Khalistan. The letter cites abuses against the Sikh Nation such as
the torture of Jagtar Singh Hawara, who had a cigarette forced into his
mouth in contravention of a Sikh religious tenet and was forced to
desecrate the Sikh holy scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. This shows
that there is no freedom and no tolerance for religious minorities in
Hindu-dominated India. And unfortunately, whichever party is in power,
the imposition of Hindu theocracy continues. The latest atrocities have
occurred under the secular Congress Party, not the openly Hindu
nationalist BJP.
It is outrageous that such atrocities against human beings are still
occurring in the twenty-first century, Mr. Speaker. The civilized
nations of the world must step in to put a stop to this tyrannical
brutality.
We must do whatever we can to help all people live in freedom. We can
start by ending our aid and our trade with India and by publicly
demanding a free and fair vote to settle the question of independence
for Khalistan and all the nations of South Asia the democratic way.
Separating from India appears to be the only way that the Sikhs of
Punjab, Khalistan, the Muslims of Kashmir, the Christians of Nagaland,
and so many other minority groups will ever have a chance to live in
the freedom that is their birthright as human beings.
I would like to introduce the Council of Khalistan's open letter into
the Record for the information of my colleagues. It goes into much more
detail than I am able to go into here. I urge my colleagues to read it
carefully.
Council of Khalistan,
Washington, DC, October 12, 2005.
All Sikhs Must Work for the Liberation of Khalistan
Dear Khalsa Ji: WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, WAHEGURU JI KI
FATEH!
Recent events have underlined again the importance of
liberating our homeland, Khalistan. All Sikhs must work
toward that goal.
Recently, the Council of Khalistan completed its highly
successful annual convention. There was great enthusiasm for
Khalistan. There have been marches in Punjab demanding a free
and sovereign Khalistan. Over 30,000 Sikhs were present at
the raising of the Khalistan flag on the anniversary of the
Golden Temple attack in June. 35 Sikhs were arrested and many
were charged at that time for making speeches and raising the
flag. On Republic Day the same thing happened. Sikhs were
charged and arrested for raising the Sikh flag and making
speeches in support of Khalistan. This blatant attempt to put
an end to the Khalistan movement through the use of naked
intimidation will not work.
Recently, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apologized to the
Sikh Nation for the Indian government's massacre of Sikhs in
Delhi in November 1984. Over 20,000 Sikhs were killed in
these massacres while Sikh police were locked in their
barracks and the state television and radio issued a call for
more Sikh blood. Manmohan Singh's apology squarely
establishes India's guilt and it is greatly appreciated. Now
we await the apology for Operation Bluestar and the
withdrawal of all Indian occupation forces from Punjab,
Khalistan.
Captain Amarinder Singh became a hero of the Sikh Nation by
asserting Punjab's sovereignty and preserving Punjab's
natural resource, its river water, for the use of Punjab
farmers by cancelling Punjab's water agreements, This action
is saving Punjab from the Hindu regime's plan to make Punjab
a desert and eliminate the Sikh Nation, the Sikh people, the
Sikh culture, and the Sikh religion
[[Page E2087]]
from the face of the Earth. The Delhi government, which is
always a Hindu majority government whether the BJP or the
Congress Party is in power, has never treated Punjab fairly.
The government is determined to destroy the Sikh religion and
the economy of Punjab.
A recent report issued by ENSAAF entitled Fabricating
Terrorism through Illegal Detention and Torture shows that
India is still illegally detaining and torturing Sikhs on
false charges of ``militancy.'' Yet India claims to have
ended the ``militancy'' years ago. Why are there still Sikhs
who are being arrested and tortured on these charges?
Jagtar Singh Hawara is a hero of the Sikh Nation. The Sikh
Nation is proud of him. He is a living martyr whose name will
be written in golden letters in Sikh history. According to
the Indian Express of July 13, 2005, the Delhi police stuffed
cigarettes in his mouth, in violation of the Sikh religion,
and forced him to desecrate the Guru Granth Sahib. His
attorney, Arvind Thalmr, expressed concern that Sardar Hawara
could be eliminated in a fake encounter like so many
thousands of Sikhs before him. This treatment is a deliberate
affront to the entire Sikh Nation. How would Sardar Hawara's
captors feel if they were forced to eat beef (cow meat)
prepared by Halall?
Sikhs will never get any justice from Delhi. The leaders in
Delhi are only interested in imposing Hindu sovereignty over
all the minorities to advance their own careers and their own
power. Ever since independence, India has mistreated the Sikh
Nation, starting with Patel's memo labelling Sikhs ``a
criminal tribe.'' What a shame for Home Minister Patel and
the Indian government to issue this memorandum when the Sikh
Nation gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices to free India.
The Sikhs in Punjab have suffered enormous repression at
the hands of the Indian regime in the last 25 years. Even
now, the capital of Punjab, Chandigarh, has not been handed
over to Punjab. It was built as Punjab's capital but remains
a Union Territory. The Indian government has murdered over
250,000 Sikhs since 1984. Over 50,000 Sikh youth were picked
up from their houses, tortured, murdered in police custody,
then secretly cremated as ``unidentified bodies.'' Their
remains were never even given to their families! 52,268 Sikhs
sit in Indian jails as political prisoners without charge or
trial, according to the Movement Against State Repression
(MASR.) Some of them have been in illegal custody for 20
years! Even those sent to prison for life for murder only
serve 16 years. According to Amnesty International, tens of
thousands of others are also being held as political
prisoners. We call for the immediate release of these Sikh
political prisoners and all political prisoners in India. The
Indian government must return remains to grieving Sikh
families.
The attack on the Golden Temple, the murder of over 20,000
Sikhs in June 1984, diverting Punjab's river water to Hindu
states without compensation, giving Punjab farmers lower
prices for their produce, and other abuses have left Sikhs
with no other choice but to sever all ties with Delhi and
finally reclaim our lost sovereignty in a free and
independent Sikh state called Khalistan, as declared on
October 7, 1987. That is our destiny. Remember that the Guru
gave us sovereignty: ``In Grieb Sikhin Ko Deon Patshahi.''
The time has come for the Sikh Nation to take its seat
among the nations of the world at the United Nations and send
its ambassadors to almost 200 countries around the world.
This will promote the interests of the Sikh Nation and the
Sikh religion worldwide. The Sikh diaspora will gain
tremendous respect within their host countries when we have
our own independent, sovereign country and representatives at
the United Nations.
The Sikh Nation must beware of Sikh puppets of the Indian
government. Such puppets do not serve our interests. If you
want to be remembered as a true Sikh, Mr. Prime Minister, you
will fire the Hindu militants from your government, release
all political prisoners, and make compensation to the
families of the victims of Indian government genocide against
the Sikhs.
Nehru promised that Sikhs would have ``the glow of
freedom'' in northwest India, but as soon as independence was
achieved, he told Sikh leaders that ``things have changed.''
His Home Minister, Patel, sent out a memo calling Sikhs ``a
criminal tribe.'' That is why no Sikh representative has ever
signed the Indian constitution.
We must bring back our Khalsa spirit. We must commit
ourselves to the greater well being of the Sikhs Nation and
to the cause of freedom. We must remember our heritage and
tradition of ``Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah'' by committing
ourselves to the cause of freedom for our Sikh brothers and
sisters. Will you commit yourself to this cause, Prime
Minister Singh, or will you be a tool of the regime that has
unleashed a brutal genocide on our people?
Last year's seminar on Khalistan held in Chandigarh shows
that the flame of freedom still burns brightly in Punjab in
spite of the Indian government's brutal repression. Always
remember our heritage: Raj Kare Ga Khalsa; Khalsa Bagi Yan
Badshah. We call on you to take these necessary steps to
bring the glow of freedom that was promised to the Sikhs to
fruition. That is the only way that you can be considered a
good Sikh in alignment with the gurus.
Panth Da Sewadar,
Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh,
President, Council of Khalistan.
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