[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 61 (Tuesday, April 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E762-E763]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      COUNCIL OF KHALISTAN SENDS VAISAKHI GREETINGS TO SIKH NATION

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 17, 2007

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, April 13 is a very important day in the 
Sikh community. It is called Vaisakhi Day, the anniversary of the 
consecration or the Khalsa Panth in 1699 by Guru Gobind Singh. It is 
celebrated in Sikh families around the world. There is a parade here in 
DC and later one in New York. I rise today to offer Vaisakhi Day 
greetings to the Sikh community.
  Recently, the Council of Khalistan issued Vaisakhi greetings to the 
Sikh Nation. In the letter, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the 
Council of Khalistan urges the Sikh nation to work for the liberation 
of Khalistan, the Sikh homeland that declared its independence from 
India on October 7, 1987. The Indian govemment has subjected the Sikhs 
and other minorities, such as Christians, Muslims, and others, to major 
atrocities. Over a quarter of a million Sikhs have been murdered by the 
government since 1984. More than 90,000 Kashmiri Muslims, over 300,000 
Christians in Nagaland, and lens of thousands of other minorities have 
lost their lives at the hands of the regime and its operatives. The 
Movement Against State Repression reports that more than 52,000 Sikhs 
are being held as political prisoners without charge or trial, as well 
as tens of thousands of other minorities.
  Freedom is the birthright of all peoples and nations, and Dr. Aulakh 
points out that Guru Gobind Singh conferred sovereignty on the Sikh 
Nation. That birthright has been suppressed.
  Dr. Aulakh also pointed out the ongoing activities in support of 
Khalistan in Punjab and elsewhere. On behalf of the Sikh nation, Dr. 
Awatar Singh Sekhon recently submitted a memorandum on the oppression 
of the Sikhs and the need for independence to the United Nations Human 
rights Commission in Geneva. Former Member of Parliament Atinder Pal 
Singh ran in the recent Punjab elections on a platform supporting 
Khalistan. He also organized a seminar on Khalistan. Sikh leaders were 
arrested on two separate occasions just for making speeches in support 
of Khalistan and raising the Khalistani flag. Jagjit Singh, President 
of Dal Khalsa, was quoted in the Deccan Herald as saying that ``the 
Indian goverument can never suppress the movement. Sikh aspirations can 
only be met when they have a separate state.'' Yet lndia prefers to 
continue its repression, stationing half a million troops in Punjab 
alone.

[[Page E763]]

  Only independence will allow the Sikhs and the other oppressed 
minorities to live in freedom, prosperity, security, and dignity, which 
is their birthright. It is clear that as long as they remain under 
India's rule, they cannot get just and fair treatment. The atrocities 
will continue. This is unacceptable, Madam Speaker.
  We should be on record in support of self-determination for Khalistan 
and throughout the subcontinent. We should also stop our aid and trade 
with India until it learns to respect the human rights of all people. 
This is in accord with American principles and these are practical 
steps we can take to bring real freedom to South Asia.

                            [April 4, 2007]

                Vaisakhi Day Message to the Sikh Nation

       Dear Khalsa Ji: WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA, WAHEGURU JI KI 
     FATEH!
       On April 13, the Sikh Nation will celebrate Vaisakhi Day, 
     observing the 308th anniversary of the day Guru Gobind Singh 
     established the Khalsa Panth. I would like to take this 
     opportunity to wish you and your family and friends and all 
     Sikhs a Happy Vaisakhi Day. As you know, Vaisakhi Day is the 
     anniversary of the founding of the Khalsa. On Vaisakhi Day in 
     1699, Guru Gobind Singh baptized the Sikhs and required them 
     to keep the five Ks. He made the Sikhs into saints and 
     soldiers, giving the blessing ``In grieb Sikhin ko deon 
     Patshani'' (``I give sovereignty to the humble Sikhs.'') Just 
     two years after his departure from this earthly plane in 
     1708, the Sikhs established their own independent state in 
     Punjab. Today we struggle to regain the sovereignty that Guru 
     Gobind Singh bestowed upon us over 300 years ago.
       We must remind ourselves of our heritage by raising slogans 
     of ``Khalistan Zindabad'' and beginning a Shantmai Morcha to 
     liberate our homeland, Khalistan. Every morning and evening 
     we recite, ``Raj Kare Ga Khalsa.'' Now is the time to act on 
     it. Do we mean what we say every morning and evening?
       Last week, Dr. Awatar Singh Sekhon, Managing Editor of the 
     International Journal of Sikh Affairs, representing the 
     Council of Khalistan, presented a memorandum on Sikh 
     sovereignty and the release of the Sikh political and non-
     political prisoners in India to the United Nations Human 
     Rights Commission in Geneva. The memorandum discussed the 
     Human Rights Violations, persecution, torture, genocide of 
     Sikhs since 1984 as well as the current situation in Punjab, 
     Khalistan. The ongoing effort to reclaim the freedom that is 
     our birthright took another step forward with this delivery.
       The Sikhs in Punjab have suffered enormous repression at 
     the hands of the Indian regime in the last 23 years. The 
     Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984. 
     In addition, 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! Over 52,000 Sikhs sit in Indian 
     jails as political prisoners without charge or trial, 
     according to a report by the Movement Against State 
     Repression (MASR.) Some of them have been in illegal custody 
     for over 20 years! Repression and genocide of this magnitude 
     at the hands of the Indian government is unparallelled in the 
     late part of the 20th century. India should be ashamed of the 
     genocide it has committed against Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, 
     and other minorities.
       Recently, Chief Minister Badal backed off his promise to 
     repeal Section 5 of the Punjab Termination of Agreement Act, 
     the section that allowed the free transfer of Punjab's river 
     water to Haryana and Rajasthan to continue. This promise was 
     essential to getting him elected. Although he is the leader 
     of the Akali Dal, Badal has again shown that he is under the 
     control of the Hindutva movement. It is time for the Sikh 
     leadership to stop kowtowing to the Indian government and 
     start protecting the interests of the Sikh Nation. He should 
     immediately sever his alliance with the BJP. As every Sikh 
     knows, the BJP is determined to destroy the Sikh religion and 
     the Sikh Nation.
       Dr. K.S. Aulakh (no relation) recently resigned as Vice 
     Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University after Mr. Badal 
     ordered him to open the University gate, which had been 
     closed because of robberies and a murder, something that he 
     could not do. Dr. G.S. Kalkat, former Vice chancellor of PAU 
     and chairman of the Punjab Farmers Commission, described this 
     resignation as unfortunate and said there should be no 
     political interference in the workings of the University 
     could not be tolerated. Dr. Darshan Singh, former Dean of 
     Postgraduate Studies at PAU; Dr. D.R. Bhumbla, former Vice 
     Chancellor of Haryana Agricultura University; Prof. Pritpal 
     Singh Kapur, former pro-Vice Chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev 
     University; Dr. Darsban Singh, former Dean of Postgraduate 
     Studies at PAU; and Lt. Col. Chanan Singh Dhillon, retired 
     President of the Indian Ex-Services League; among others, 
     were also critical of Badal's political interference. Dr. 
     K.S. Aulakh was appointed by Mr. Badal several years ago 
     when Badal was Chief Minister before, so this was an 
     unusually courageous act on his part and he is to be 
     saluted for it. Mr. Badal is Chief Minister of Punjab. Why 
     doesn't he even want to protect the students, faculty, and 
     staff at PAU from robberies and murders?
       Jathedar Joginder Singh Vedanti is another who is under 
     Indian government control. A couple of years ago, he was 
     quoted as saying, ``We don't want separate territory.'' 
     Apparently, Vedanti would rather maintain the oppression and 
     the atrocities against the Sikh Nation than enjoy the glow of 
     freedom, as promised to us at the time of independence. Has 
     he forgotten our heritage of freedom? How can the spiritual 
     leader of the Sikh religion deny the Sikh Nation's legitimate 
     aspiration for freedom and sovereignty? Is he not stung by 
     the words of one of his predecessors, former AkalTakht 
     Jathedar Professor Darshan Singh, who said, ``If a Sikh is 
     not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh''? Is Akal Takht occupied 
     by a person who does not believe in Sikh values and Sikh 
     aspirations?
       Sikhs can never forgive or forget the Indian government's 
     military attack on the Golden Temple and 125 other Gurdwaras 
     throughout Punjab. Over 20,000 Sikhs were murdered in those 
     attacks as Operation Bluestar, including Sant Jarnail Singh 
     Bhindranwale, General Shabeg Singh, Bhai Amrik Singh, and 
     over 100 Sikh religious students ages 8-13 who were taken out 
     into the courtyard and shot. These attacks accelerated the 
     Sikh independence movement and deepened the desire for 
     independence in the hearts of Sikhs, a fire that burns 
     brightly in the hearts of the Sikh Nation to this day. Sant 
     Bhindranwale said that the attack on the Golden Temple would 
     ``lay the foundation stone of Khalistan'' and he was right.
       Khalsa Ji, at this time of Vaisakhi, the whole Khalsa Panth 
     must be energized to reestablish a sovereign, independent 
     Khalsa Raj by freeing our homeland, Khalistan. It is time for 
     Sikhs to look back at our history of persecution and 
     suffering over the past two decades. The Hindu government of 
     India, whether run by the Congress Party of by the BJP, wants 
     minorities either subservient to Hinduism or completely wiped 
     out. In spite of the fact that the religions believe 
     completely opposite things, Hindus desire to engulf Sikhism 
     just as they did with Jainism and Buddhism in India. They 
     think that Buddhism is part of Hinduism because Siddhartha 
     Gautama, the Buddha, was born in India. Similarly, Guru Nanak 
     was born Hindu, so they proclaim Sikhism to be part of 
     Hinduism. Yet Guru Nanak said that he was ``neither Hindu nor 
     Muslim.'' Jesus was born Jewish. Does that mean that 
     Christianity is merely part of Judaism?
       On this auspicious occasion celebrating the birth of the 
     Khalsa Panth, we must bring back our Khalsa spirit. We must 
     remember our heritage and tradition of ``Khalsa Bagi Yan 
     Badshah'' by committing ourselves to freeing our homeland, 
     Punjab, Khalistan, from Indian Occupation. We need a new Sikh 
     political party which has a dedication to the interests of 
     the Sikh Nation as its sole objective, to establish Khalsa 
     Raj by liberating Khalistan, severing all political ties with 
     India.
       The Indian government wants to break the will of the Sikh 
     Nation and enslave them forever, making Sikhism a part of 
     Hinduism. This can only be stopped if we free Punjab from 
     Delhi's control and reestablish a sovereign, independent 
     country, as declared on October 7, 1987. We must recommit 
     ourselves to freeing our homeland, Punjab, Khalistan. Raise 
     slogans of ``Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah,'' ``Raj Kare Ga 
     Khalsa,'' ``Khalistan Zindabad,'' and ``India out of 
     Khalistan.'' Use this vaisakhi to launch a Shantmai Morcha to 
     liberate Khalistan. In spite of India's best efforts, they 
     cannot arrest all of us. Their jails are overflowing as it 
     is. We must keep the pressure on every day to force India to 
     withdraw from our homeland and allow the glow of freedom in 
     Khalistan.
       The flame of freedom still burns brightly in Punjab in 
     spite of the Indian government's brutal repression. Perhaps 
     this is why India is afraid to hold a free and fair vote on 
     the subject of independence. The essence of democracy is the 
     right to self-determination. The time to achieve our 
     independence is now. Always remember our heritage: Raj Kare 
     Ga Khalsa; Khalsa Bagi Yan Badshah. Freedom for Khalistan is 
     closer than ever. We must rededicate ourselves to achieving 
     it.
           Pantha Da Sewadar,
                                           Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh
     President, Council of Khalistan.

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