[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 61 (Tuesday, April 17, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E766]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  IN MEMORY OF DR. GURCHARAN SINGH, HUMANITARIAN AND FREEDOM ACTIVIST

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 17, 2007

  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I was distressed to learn that Dr. 
Gurcharan Singh, a Sikh scholar from Long lsland, was killed March 31 
in a hit-and-run traffic accident. Professor Singh was on his way to 
the Gurdwara (the Sikh place of worship) at the time. The driver has 
not yet been found.
  Professor Singh was a professor at Marymount Manhattan College and a 
leader In the Sikh community in New York. He was a father and 
grandfather. According to WNBC-TV, he was ``a counselor to New York's 
Sikh community and a philanthropist devoted to bringing people of 
different faiths and nationalities together.'' He was also an activist 
in support of Sikh freedom, serving as an advisor to the Council of 
Khalistan, which leads the effort to free the Sikh homeland, Khalistan, 
from Indian occupation. In that capacity, he would accompany the 
Council's President, Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, when he would go to the 
U.N. Human Rights Commission.
  Prior to teaching at Marymount, Dr. Singh had been a professor at 
Columbia University. He taught political science and international 
studies.
  The Council of Khalistan issued a press release about Dr. Singh's 
passing. It was also reported on WNBC Channel 4 in New York, on Yahoo 
News, on several Sikh and South Asian news outlets, and around the 
Internet.
  On behalf of all my colleagues, I wish to extend the sympathies of 
the U.S. Congress to Dr. Singh's family, friends, and students. I'm 
sure that everyone joins me in this. I know that he will leave a void 
that will be very difficult to fill.
  Madam Speaker, the best tribute we could pay to Dr. Singh is to 
continue his work, as Dr. Aulakh points out. This Congress can help by 
stopping aid to India and trade with that country until all people 
there enjoy human rights and by going on record in support of self-
determination for Dr. Singh's Sikh Nation and for the Nagas, Kashmiris, 
and all the people seeking freedom in India. Self-determination is the 
essence of democracy.

       Plainview Scholar, Leader Mourned After Hit-And-Run Death


  Gurcharan Singh, 77, Taught at Columbia, Marymount Manhattan College

       Plainview, N.Y.--A family and a community were mourning 
     Saturday night the death of beloved professor and role model 
     killed by a hit-and-run driver on Long Island, NewsChannel 
     4's Aimee Nuzzo reported.
       Gurcharan Singh, 77, a scholar and a professor, was also a 
     counselor to New York's Sikh community and a philanthropist 
     devoted to bringing people of different faiths and 
     nationalities together, according to family and friends.
       ``He is the gem of our community,'' said friend Paul 
     Kandhari. ``If there was a family problem, he'll be there. If 
     the father and son have a problem, he'll be there.''
       The Plainview father of three and grandfather was struck 
     and killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking from his 
     home to church Friday night.
       Dr. Singh was crossing Old Country Road in Plainview just 
     after 8 p.m. headed for the Sikh temple, when a red or maroon 
     car traveling westbound ran a red light, struck him and kept 
     going, police told Nuzzo.
       Singh was airlifted to Nassau University Medical Center 
     with multiple fractures and head trauma, but he did not 
     survive.
       ``My father was a very selfless man who served his 
     community and society with all his heart, and we'd really 
     love any assistance in finding the individual who did this,'' 
     said Surinder Singh, the victim's son.
       Anyone with information about the mishap was asked to call 
     Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.
       Once a professor at Columbia University, Singh taught 
     political science and international studies at Marymount 
     Manhattan College for more than three decades and continued 
     to teach part-time, Nuzzo said.
       A statement from Marymount Manhattan College said the 
     ``community is deeply saddened by the news of Professor 
     Singh's death. He served as a devoted teacher at the college 
     for many years, and his loss will be felt by all of our 
     faculty, staff, students and alumni. Our thoughts are with 
     his family during this difficult time.'' Dr. Singh's friends 
     said they have no doubt the selfless humanitarian would have 
     forgiven the hit-and-run driver who took his life. They said 
     they hoped that would help whoever is responsible to come 
     forward.
                                  ____


                  [Council of Khalistan Press Release]

  Dr. Gurcharan Singh, Advisor to Council of Khalistan, Killed in Hit-
                        and-Run Traffic Accident


              Leading Sikh Scholar, Teacher, Humanitarian

       Washington, DC, Apr. 4, 2007--Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, 
     President of the Council of Khalistan, today expressed 
     ``deepest sympathies'' to the family and friends of Professor 
     Gurcharan Singh, a leading Sikh scholar and a teacher at 
     Marymount Manhattan College. Professor Gurcharan Singh was 
     killed by a hit-and-run driver about 8:00 p.m. on the evening 
     of March 31 as he was heading to the Gurdwara.
       ``Professor Gurcharan Singh leaves a vacuum that will be 
     hard to fill, not only within the Sikh community and Nassau 
     County, but for his family, friends, students, and the many 
     whose lives he touched,'' said Dr. Aulakh, ``He will be 
     greatly missed. I am proud that he was my friend.''
       ``Only God gives life and takes life. As human beings, we 
     are helpless. `Ghale Aawe Nanka Sadhe Uthin Jai.' We can only 
     mourn his loss but the best tribute to Dr. Gurcharan Singh 
     will be to continue his mission which he worked for, that is 
     serving humanity and working hard to liberate Khalistan from 
     Indian occupation. Only in a free Khalistan will the Sikh 
     religion flourish and the Sikh Nation prosper.''
       Professor Gurcharan Singh was well known as a humanitarian 
     on Long Island. ``My father was a very selfless man who 
     served his community and society with all his heart,'' said 
     his son Surinder Singh, He served as a counselor to the New 
     York Sikh community and was a philanthropist.
       Professor Gurcharan Singh was also a strong supporter of 
     Khalistan, the independent Sikh homeland that declared its 
     independence from India on October 7, 1987. In that effort, 
     he served as an advisor to the President of the Council of 
     Khalistan, which leads the peaceful, democratic, nonviolent 
     effort to liberate Khalistan. He accompanied Dr. Aulakh 
     whenever he went to talk to the United Nations Human Rights 
     Commission.
       His death was reported on WNBC-TV New York and on its 
     website; on Indo-Asian News Service; on Sikh media outlets; 
     on a variety of websites; and on other media outlets.
       ``Professor Gurcharan Singh's passing is a loss to the Sikh 
     Nation, to the people of Long Island and America, to his 
     family and friends, and to friends of freedom,'' said Dr. 
     Aulakh. ``May God bless this departed soul.''

                          ____________________