E1480 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks July 13, 2005 like every other Sikh, pray ‘‘the shall freedom’’ that Nehru promised us when Mas- PERSONAL EXPLANATION rule’’ every morning and evening? Has he ter and the Sikh leaders of the forgotten our heritage of freedom? How can time chose to take our share with ? the spiritual leader of the Sikh religion deny HON. NEIL ABERCROMBIE the Sikh Nation’s legitimate aspiration for The Council of Khalistan has stood strong- OF HAWAII ly and consistently for liberating our home- freedom and sovereignty? Is he not stung by IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES land, Khalistan, from Indian occupation. For the words of one of his predecessors, former Wednesday, July 13, 2005 Takht Professor Darshan over 19 years we have led this fight while Singh, who said, ‘‘If a Sikh is not a others were trying to divert the resources Mr. ABERCROMBIE. Mr. Speaker, yester- Khalistani, he is not a Sikh’’? Is and the attention of the Sikh Nation away day, July 12, 2005, I was unavoidably absent occupied by a person who does not believe in from the issue of freedom in a sovereign, from the business of the House. Had I been Sikh values and Sikh aspirations? independent Khalistan. Khalistan is the only present, I would have voted as follows on re- ’s , Captain way that will be able to live in free- corded votes: , was declared a hero of the dom, peace, prosperity, and dignity. It is Rollcall vote No. 365, ordering the previous Sikh Nation for asserting Punjab’s sov- time to start a Shantmai Morcha to liberate question on H. Res. 351, ‘‘no’’; No. 366, pas- ereignty and preserving Punjab’s natural re- Khalistan from Indian occupation. source, its river water, for the use of Punjab sage of H. Res. 351, ‘‘no’’; No. 367, suspend The Akal Takht Sahib and Darbar Sahib farmers by cancelling Punjab’s water agree- the Rules and pass H. Res. 352, ‘‘no’’; No. ments. In so doing, Amarinder Singh and the are under the control of the Indian govern- 368, suspend the Rules and pass H. Res. Legislative Assembly explicitly declared the ment, the same Indian government that has 343, ‘‘yes’’; No. 369, passage of H.R. 739, sovereignty of the state of Punjab. In De- murdered more than a quarter of a million ‘‘no’’; No. 370, passage of H.R. 740, ‘‘no’’; No. cember former Member of Parliament Sikhs in the past twenty years. The Jathedar 371, passage of H.R. 741, ‘‘no’’; No. 372, pas- again reverted to pub- of the Akal Takht and the head granthi of sage of H.R. 742, ‘‘no.’’ lic support of Khalistan. He pledged that his Darbar Sahib toe the line that the Indian party will lead a peaceful movement to lib- government tells them. They are not ap- f erate Khalistan. Obviously, Mr. Mann is pointed by the Khalsa Panth. Otherwise they RECOGNIZING THE 75TH ANNIVER- aware of the rising support of our cause. would behave like a real Jathedar, Jathedar SARY OF THE ESTABLISHMENT Mann joins Atinder Pal Singh, Sardar , rather than like In- OF THE VETERANS ADMINISTRA- D.S. Gill of the International Human Rights dian government puppet Jathedar Aroor Organization, and other Sikh leaders in Pun- Singh, who gave a Siropa to General Dyer for TION ON JULY 21, 1930 jab in supporting freedom for Khalistan the massacre of Sikhs and others at openly. Jagjit Singh, President of Dal Jallianwala Bagh. These institutions will re- HON. STEVE BUYER Khalsa, was quoted in the Deccan Herald as main under the control of the Indian regime OF INDIANA saying that ‘‘the Indian government can until we free the Sikh homeland, Punjab, IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES never suppress the movement. Sikh aspira- Khalistan, from Indian occupation and op- tions can only be met when they have a sepa- pression and sever our relations with the Wednesday, July 13, 2005 rate state.’’ There is no other choice for the New Delhi government. Sikh nation but a sovereign, independent Mr. BUYER. Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of Khalistan. Every Sikh leader must come out The Sikhs in Punjab have suffered enor- the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, today I openly for Khalistan. We salute those Sikh mous repression at the hands of the Indian am introducing H. Res. 361 recognizing the leaders in Punjab who have done so. regime in the last 25 years. Over 50,000 Sikh 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Any organization that sincerely supports youth were picked up from their houses, tor- Veterans Administration on July 21, 1930. I Khalistan deserves the support of the Sikh tured, murdered in police custody, then se- am joined by the Committee’s Ranking Mem- Nation. However, the Sikh Nation needs cretly cremated as ‘‘unidentified bodies.’’ ber, Mr. EVANS, in introducing this resolution. leadership that is honest, sincere, consistent, Their remains were never even given to their More than 48 million men and women have and dedicated to the cause of Sikh freedom. families! Another 52,268 are being held as po- served America well and faithfully in military Leaders like Dr. , litical prisoners. Some have been in illegal uniform. More than 1 million made the ultimate Harchand Singh Longowal, Didar Bains, custody since 1984! Over 250,000 have been sacrifice for our freedom. Twenty-five million Ganga Singh Dhillon, the leader- murdered at the hands of the Indian regime. ship, and others who were complicit in the veterans are living among us today. These Even now, the capital of Punjab, , attack on the cannot be men and women selflessly set aside their civil- has not been handed over to Punjab, but re- trusted by the Sikh Nation. The evidence ian lives to put on the uniform and serve us. mains a Union Territory. How can Sikhs against them is clear in Chakravyuh: Web of Many return from that service bearing wounds Indian Secularism. The Sikh Nation cannot have any freedom living under a government to body and spirit. Many return hungry to take that would do these things? believe that these leaders will not betray the advantage of the fruits of the democracy they cause of Khalistan, just as they betrayed the Sikhs will never get any justice from defended, and seek education and employ- Sikh Nation in 1984. We must be careful If we Delhi. The leaders in Delhi are only inter- ment opportunity. are to continue to move the cause of freedom ested in imposing Hindu sovereignty over all for Khalistan forward in 2005 as we did in The nation’s obligation to her defenders is the minorities to advance their own careers as old as that defense itself. In his second in- 2004. and their own power. Ever since independ- The Akali Dal conspired with the Indian augural address in 1865, President Abraham ence, India has mistreated the Sikh Nation, Lincoln clearly expressed the obligation: ‘‘. . . government in 1984 to invade the Golden starting with Patel’s memo labelling Sikhs Temple to murder Sant Bhindranwale and to care for him who shall have borne the bat- ‘‘a criminal tribe.’’ What a shame for Home 20,000 other Sikh during June 1984 in Punjab. Minister Patel and the Indian government to tle, and for his widow, and his orphan.’’ Even the Pope spoke out strongly against issue this memorandum when the Sikh Na- On July 21, 1930, pursuant to a Congres- this invasion and desecration of our most sa- sional authorization, President Hoover issued cred shrine. How can these so-called Sikh tion gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices to free India. an executive order to ‘‘consolidate and coordi- leaders connive with the people who carried nate Government activities affecting war vet- It out? If Sikhs will not even protect the How can Sikhs continue to live in such a erans,’’ creating the Veterans Administration. sanctity of the Golden Temple, how can the country? There is no place for Sikhs in sup- The new VA was charged with ensuring that Sikh Nation survive as a nation? posedly secular, supposedly democratic The Akali Dal has lost all its credibility. India. Let us dedicate ourselves to living up America’s veterans received the benefits and The Badal government was so corrupt openly to the blessing of Gobind Singh. It is services they had earned through their military and no Akali leader would come forward and time to launch a Shantmai Morcha to lib- service. tell Badal and his wife to stop this erate Khalistan. We must demand self-deter- Today the 230,000 public servants of the unparallelled corruption. If Jathedar mination in a free and fair vote, the demo- Department of Veterans Affairs, formed from Vedanti opposes freedom and sovereignty for cratic way. It is time to shake ourselves the VA in 1989, continue the noble tradition of the Sikh Nation, then he is not fit to sit in loose from the yoke of Indian oppression and their predecessors in service to veterans and Akal Takht, in the seat of the Khalsa Panth. liberate our homeland, Khalistan, so that all The Sikh Nation should have a Jathedar who their families. is committed to restoring sovereignty that is Sikhs may live lives of prosperity, freedom, The men and women of today’s VA are our birthright and that and dignity. dedicated to caring for today’s veterans and granted. Sincerely, stand ready to provide for our servicemembers Is this the freedom that Guru Gobind GURMIT SINGH AULAKH, who now defend our freedoms and our way of Singh bestowed upon us? Is this the ‘‘glow of President. life.

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