[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

                                 ______
                                 

                          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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