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“SIKH AUTHOR AND SCHOLAR GURTEJ SINGH EXPOSES INDIAN TYRANNY” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1705-E1706 on Sept. 30, 2002.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SIKH AUTHOR AND SCHOLAR GURTEJ SINGH EXPOSES INDIAN TYRANNY
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HON. CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Monday, September 30, 2002
Ms. McKINNEY. Mr. Speaker, recently a seminar was held in New York on the oppression of minorities in Hindu nationalist India. One of the speakers was the Sikh scholar and author Gurtej Singh, Professor of Sikhism. He is also the author of the book Chakravyuh: Web of Indian Secularism.
Professor Gurtej Singh discussed the history of Sikh independence and the Sikh religion. He exposed the connivance of Sikh leaders of all parties with the Indian government. He discussed the efforts of the Hindu nationalists to absorb the Sikh religion.
Professor Gurtej Singh has been honored by the Shiromani Gudrwara Prabandhak Committee, which runs the Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) in Punjab, Khalistan. He is a very well respected Sikh scholar.
The information he discussed underlies the need for the Sikhs in Punjab, Khalistan to work to achieve their freedom. Unfortunately, the Indian government has recently reaffirmed through its Ambassador to the U.S. that it will hold a plebiscite in Kashmir, as it promised in 1948, or in Punjab.
Since the United States was formed to be the bastion of freedom, we owe it to the people there to do what we can to support their freedom efforts. We should declare our support for a free and fair plebiscite in Punjab, Khalistan, in Kashmir, in primilarly Christian Nagaland, and elsewhere in the subcontinent where people are seeking freedom and independence. The democratic way is the best way to resolve issues. Until all people in India enjoy the full civil rights of democratic citizens, until human rights are respected, India should receive no American aid or trade. This is the best way that America can help bring freedom to that troubled region.
Mr. Speaker, the Council of Khalistan recently published a press release commending Professor Gurtej Singh for his work for human rights and his presentation at the New York panel. I would like to insert this press release into the Record at this time.
S. Gurtej Singh Exposes Indian Tyranny at Seminar
Washington, D.C., May 16, 2002.--The Sikh Nation appreciates the contributions of S. Gurtej Singh IAS, who spoke at a seminar in New York last week. He exposed the genocide of the Indian government and the betrayal and corruption of the Akali Dal leadership in his book, Chakravyuh: Web of Indian Secularism, and in his speech he gave historical facts about the sovereign, independent Sikh state and the independence of the Sikh religion since its inception. He explained how the Hindu majority wants to assimilate the Sikh religion and establish a Hindu Rashtra. We recommend that everyone read his book.
``S. Gurtej Singh has done an excellent job of exposing the connivance of the Akali leaders, such as Badal, Tohra, and Mann, with the Indian government in its campaign of terror against the Sikh Nation,'' said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan. ``He is to be saluted,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``The Sikh Nation needs more good Sikhs like S. Gurtej Singh if it is ever to end the oppression.'' The Council of Khalistan is the government pro tempore of Khalistan, the Sikh homeland that declared its independence from India on October 7, 1987. The Council of Khalistan leads the Sikh Nation's struggle for independence.
``Gurtej Singh's presentation was excellent and he made a detailed presentation of the abuses and oppression of the Sikh Nation,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``The time has come to throw out the conniving Sikh leadership of the Akalis and Congress and unite behind committed, principled, pro-Sikh leaders who are committed to freedom,'' he said.
The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984. Over 75,000 Kashmiri Muslims have been killed since 1988. More than 200,000 Christians have been killed since 1947, along with tens of thousands of Dalits, Tamils, Assamese, Bodos, Manipuris, and other minorities. Last month, police stood by as militant Hindus attacked Muslims in Gujarat. Over 5000 people died, according to the Indian newspaper The Hindu. The Indian government paid twice as much compensation to the families of Hindus who were killed as it paid to Muslims who were killed.
The U.S. State Department reported in 1994 that the Indian government paid out over 41,000 cash bounties to police officers for killing Sikhs. Since Christmas 1998, a wave of violence against Christians has seen priests murdered, nuns being raped, churches being burned, Christian schools and prayer halls destroyed, and no one has been punished for these acts. Militant Hindu fundamentalists allied with the pro-Fascist RSS, the parent organization of the ruling BJP, burned missionary Graham Staines and his two young sons to death.
``For the survival of the Sikh Nation, the time has come to launch a Shantmai Morcha (peaceful agitation) to liberate Khalistan from Indian occupation,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``I call on the Sikh leadership in Punjab to begin a Shantmai Morcha immediately. If they will not, the Sikh Nation should rid itself of them and support leaders who will do so,'' he said.
``I also call on the United States government to support freedom for Khalistan and the other minority nations seeking their freedom from India,'' he said. ``Sikhs are a separate nation and ruled Punjab until 1849. No Sikh has signed the Indian constitution,'' Dr. Aulakh said.
Sikhism is a sovereign, independent, monotheistic religion which believes in the equality of the whole human race, including gender equality. Sikhs pray every day for the well being of all humanity. The Sikh Nation was established as sovereign. Guru gave political power to the Sikh Nation.
(``In Grieb Sikhan Ko Deon Patshahi.'') ``Freedom and self-determination are the birthright of all peoples and nations. The people of South Asia must have self-determination now,'' Dr. Aulakh said. ``India is on the verge of disintegration,'' he said. ``Khalistan will be free by 2008.''
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