[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 9, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E48-E49]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COUNCIL OF KHALISTAN SENDS NEW YEAR GREETING TO THE SIKH NATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 9, 2007

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, the Council of Khalistan, which leads the 
peaceful, democratic, nonviolent effort to free Khalistan, the Sikh 
homeland, from India, has sent New Year's greetings to the Sikhs from 
the council and its president, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh.
  In the letter, Dr. Aulakh calls On Sikh political leaders to stand up 
for the interests of their people, which is what all of us in public 
office anywhere should be doing. He notes that without sovereignty, 
nations perish, and he cites the situation of the Jewish people before 
World War II as compared to their situation now. That is a good example 
of what sovereignty can do for a people. He calls on the Punjab 
Legislative Assembly that is about to be elected next month to pass a 
resolution again declaring Khalistan's independence.
  Dr. Aulakh calls for the return of the state capital, Chandigarh, to 
Punjab, along with the Punjabi areas of neighboring states Himachal 
Pradesh and Haryana. He urges an end to the diversion of Punjab's water 
without compensation. He notes that the fanners are being oppressed by 
being forced to buy fertilizer at exorbitantly high rates but being 
forced to sell their crops at ridiculously low prices. He notes the 
insults and repression that India has inflicted on the Sikhs, including 
the Golden Temple attack, the murder of over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, 
the fact that more than 52,000 Sikhs are being held as political 
prisoners, and so many other violations. The letter notes that in an 
independent Khalistan, India would not be able to inflict such insults 
and repression on the Sikh Nation.
  In addition to the quarter of a million Sikhs it has murdered, the 
Indian regime has killed over 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, more than 
90,000 Muslims in Kashmir and 2,000 to 5,000 in Gujarat, as well as 
Christians and Muslims elsewhere in the country and Tamils, Manipuris, 
Dalits, Bodos, Assamesc, and other minorities. Tens of thousands of 
people are held as political prisoners, according to Amnesty 
Intemational. Congress should demand the release of all political 
prisoners and the prosecution of those who have violated the rights of 
Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, and other minorities.
  Madam Speaker, the time has come for the glow of freedom to be 
enjoyed by everyone. It is time to cut off American aid and trade with 
India until all people enjoy full human rights there. In addition, we 
should put the U.S. Congress on record in support of freedom everywhere 
in South Asia. Now that a new Congress has taken office, it is an ideal 
time to pass a resolution calling for a free and fair plebiscite on the 
subject of independence. That is the democratic way to do things and 
it's time that India started behaving like a democracy.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to put the Council of Khalistan's New 
Year message into the Record at this time.


                                         Council of Khalistan,

                                  Washington, DC, January 9, 2007.
       Dear Khalsa, Jr:
       Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
       The New Year has already arrived. Happy New Year to you and 
     your family and the Khalsa Panth. May 2007 be your best year 
     ever. I wish you health, joy, and prosperity in the new year.
       The flame of freedom continues to burn brightly in the 
     heart of the Sikh Nation. No force can suppress it. Guru 
     Gobind Singh blessed the Khalsa Panth, saying ``in grieb 
     Sikhin ko deom Patshahi.'' (``I bless the humble Sikhs with 
     sovereignty.'') The Sikh Nation must dedicate this year to 
     working hard to achieve that goal. Self-determination is the 
     right of all peoples and nations and the essence of 
     democracy. Without sovereignty, religions perish. With 
     sovereignty, they flourish. Compare the situation of the 
     Jewish people in Europe before World War II to their 
     situation now. There is no reason Sikhs cannot achieve a 
     similar change of fortune.
       It has been said that ``without vision, the people 
     perish,'' but with vision, the people flourish. It is time 
     for the Sikh Nation to flourish. Sikhs have suffered too much 
     already under the yoke of Indian persecution since 
     independence, especially over the past 25 years. We have seen 
     the attack on the Golden Temple, over 250,000 Sikhs murdered 
     and over 52,000 held as political prisoners, the murder of 
     the Akal Takht Jathedar, more than 50,000 Sikh youth 
     tortured, murdered, then declared unidentified and secretly 
     cremated, their bodies never returned to their families. 
     Their families continue to suffer. We must help their widows 
     and orphans. Let us find the vision to throw off this 
     repression. With that vision, the Sikh Nation will flourish; 
     without it, we will perish and India's effort to eliminate 
     Sikhism will succeed. This is the reason that Guru Gobind 
     Singh sent Sikhs to learn Sanskrit and to gain knowledge of 
     other religions, so that the Khalsa Panth might be more 
     enlightened and be aware of the qualities of its own religion 
     and culture.
       The Indian government is reacting to the rising tide of 
     freedom for the Sikh Nation. It has stepped up its efforts to 
     destroy the Sikh religion and deny Sikhs an environment to 
     flourish. They have kept Punjabi-speaking areas out of Punjab 
     while supporting an influx of Hindus into Punjab. Sikhs are 
     prohibited from buying land in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, 
     and Uttaranchal Pradesh, yet there are no restrictions on 
     land ownership in Punjab by non-Sikhs. People from anywhere 
     can buy land in Punjab, including people from Rajasthan and 
     Himachal Pradesh. India is trying to subvert Khalistan's 
     independence by overrunning Punjab with non-Sikhs while 
     keeping Sikhs from escaping the brutal repression in Punjab. 
     I ask Captain Amarinder Singh and Badal to get the Punjabi-
     speaking areas back from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. These 
     areas rightfully belong to Punjab. When will the political 
     leaders of Punjab stand up for the Sikhs?
       In Punjab, the Sikh population is 75 percent rural. Sikhs 
     are dependent on agriculture. The lifeline of farmers is 
     water. We must stop the diversion of Punjab's water to 
     Rajasthan and Haryana without compensation. That is a natural 
     resource of Punjab. A couple of years ago, Captain Amarinder 
     Singh's government cancelled the water agreements. I call on 
     Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to use his power to receive 
     payments for this water. As we pay the price for the coal we 
     get from the Indian government, then why can't we get paid 
     for the water we give? Sikh leaders in Punjab must take a 
     strong stand on this issue.
       The Indian government squeezes Sikh farmers by all 
     available means. They sell fertilizer and seeds at very high 
     cost but when

[[Page E49]]

     it comes time to sell produce, the government sets the price 
     very low. This leads to thousands of farmers committing 
     suicide because of their colossal financial indebtedness to 
     the Indian government.
       It is time to take control of the Bhakra Dam and the Nangal 
     hydroelectric project. These belong to Punjab but are 
     controlled by the Delhi regime. Punjab must take complete 
     control of these projects and sell electricity at market 
     rates. The Gobindgarah Fort, which was built by the Sikh 
     missal Bhangian, was recently returned to Punjab by the 
     Indian government. That is a good first step. Now all that is 
     the Khalsa Panth's, including the sovereignty that is our 
     birthright, must also be returned so that Sikhs can 
     flourish in the glow of freedom promised by the Indian 
     National Congress during the independence strugg1e.
       The capital of Chandigarh was built by Punjab. Punjab must 
     get it back from the Indian government. It is the height of 
     highhandedness to make Chandigarh a Union Territory. I ask 
     Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to take this good opportunity 
     to regain, control of Chandigarh. This will help him 
     politically as well. Haryana is a wealthy state; let Haryana 
     build its own capital.
       In November we met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat 
     Aziz. He said he would build a road from Kartapur Sahib to 
     the Indian border, provided that the Punjab government builds 
     its portion as well. I have visited Kartapur. There is only a 
     mile or so of the road and the Ravi River is completely dried 
     up. The bridge, which is on the Indian side, needs minor 
     repairs. This road would be good for the people on both sides 
     of the border. It would help build good relations between 
     India and Pakistan, particularly between Pakistan and the 
     Sikhs of Punjab. I urge Captain Amarinder Singh to build the 
     road immediately so that Sikhs from Punjab can visit Kartapur 
     Sahib where Guru Nanak departed this Earth for his heavenly 
     abode. It is a serene place.
       The RSS and its political arm, the BJP, want to divide the 
     Sikh Nation. The Dasam Granth is RSS mischief. The issue of 
     its authorship has been settled long ago, despite what any 
     Indian-controlled Sikh leader may say now. I urge Akal Takht 
     Jathedar Jogincder Singh Vedanti to stop the discussion of 
     the Dasam Granth completely and concentrate his efforts on 
     achieving freedom for Khalistan and stopping the vices that 
     have percolated in the Sikh religion, including abortion of 
     female fetuses, drinking liquor, and the caste system. Guru 
     Gobind Singh created the Khalsa as equals. Mazhabi Sikhs are 
     as good Sikhs as anyone else. They are our brothers and 
     sisters and we must treat them as equals. Remember what Guru 
     Gobind Singh said: ``Ragrete Guru ke Bete.'' (``The Mazhabi 
     Sikhs are the sons of the guru.'') Guru Gobind Singh lifted 
     them up and Sikhs established Sikh rule from 1710 to 1716 and 
     from 1765 to 1849. When America declared its independence in 
     1776, Punjab was already ruled independently by the Sikh 
     missals.
       Twice last year, Sikhs were arrested for making speeches in 
     support of Khalistan and raising the Khalistani flag. The 
     Indian regime is clearly worried about the rising tide in 
     support of Sikh sovereignty. Let us dedicate our energy this 
     year to achieving the establishment of Khalistan. Any 
     organization that sincerely supports Khalistan deserves the 
     support of the Sikh Nation. When Khalistan is free, the Sikhs 
     can resolve these issues in a way that benefits the Khalsa 
     Panth, not the forces of Hindutva.
       However, the Sikh Nation needs leadership that is honest, 
     sincere, consistent, and dedicated to the cause of Sikh 
     freedom if we are to continue to move the cause of freedom 
     for Khalistan forward in 2007 as we did in 2006. Remember the 
     words former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Professor Darshan 
     Singh: ``If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh.'' 
     Khalistan is the only way that Sikhs will be able to live in 
     freedom, peace, prosperity, and dignity. It is time to start 
     a Shantmai Morcha to liberate Khalistan from Indian 
     occupation. We must achieve our freedom by peaceful, 
     democratic, nonviolent means. Let that be the mission of 
     2007.
       Elections for the Punjab Legislative Assembly will be held 
     on February 13. Vote only for candidates who are committed to 
     establishing Khalistan and will work to make it a reality. 
     Every morning and evening the Khalsa Panth recites ``Raj Kare 
     Ga Khalsa.'' We must dedicate ourselves to realizing this. 
     The time is now. We can do it by the ballot. I ask Sikhs of 
     every political shade not to miss this opportunity. We must 
     realize it now. When the Punjab Legislative Assembly 
     reconvenes it must pass a resolution for the independence of 
     Khalistan. As soon as that resolution passes, India will no 
     longer be able to repress the Sikhs. Three million Sikhs 
     living outside India will make sure that Khalistan is free 
     without any further loss of human life. In a democracy, you 
     can't rule the people against their wishes.
       Sikhs will never get any justice from Delhi. Ever since 
     independence, India has mistreated the Sikh Nation, starting 
     with Patel's shameful memo labeling Sikhs ``a criminal 
     tribe'' even though the Sikh Nation gave over 80 percent of 
     the sacrifices to free India. How can Sikhs continue to live 
     in such a country? There is no place for Sikhs in supposedly 
     secular, supposedly democratic India.
       Let us make certain that 2007 is the Sikh Nation's most 
     blessed year by making it the year that we shake ourselves 
     loose from Indian oppression and liberate our homeland, 
     Kha1istan, so that all Sikhs may live lives of prosperity, 
     freedom, and dignity. Now it is up to us. Do not waste this 
     opportunity.
       May Guru bless the Khalsa Panth in 2007 and always.
           Sincerely,
                                          Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh,
     President, Council of Khalistan.

                          ____________________