WASHINGTON: Black members of American parliament (Congress) have mobilized signatures of 53 US Congressman to a letter to the Indian Govt protesting against the persecution of V.T. Rajshekar, Editor of Dalit Voice, and denying his passport. ‘The letter is initiated by Congressman Phil Crane (RIilino is) to Indian Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao demanding that all charges against Sikh leader Simranjit Singh Mann ‘and Dalit (Black Untouchable) leader V,T. Rajshekar be dropped and their aspires be restored, tis very disturbing that charges arc still pending against Mr. Mann under an expired, repressive law,” the letter says. “Mr. Mann’s only ‘crime’ is speaking out for a free and sovereign Khalistan, the independent Sikh homeland declared on October 7, 1987. Indian courts have ruled that asking for an independent Khalistan is not a crime,” Mr. Mann was arrested after asking a crowd of 50,000 Sikhs to raise their hands if they supported independence for Khalistan. All 50,000 hands were raised.
Black initiative: The letter, signed by32Republicans, 20Democratsand 1 independent, garnered the broad-based support of some of the most powerful Members of Congress, Signatories include Gerald Solomon, Chairman of the House Rules Committee, Henry Hyde, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee: Ronald Dellums, Ranking Member of the National Security Committee, Donald Payne, Chairman of the Black Cuicus, Phill Crane, Chairni of the Subcommittee on Trade, Dan Burton, Chairman on the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere; John Peter, Cochairman of the Human Rights Caucus: and Bill Richardson, the Member of Congress who recently secured the release of two Americans from an Iraqi prison. The significance of this letter is revealed in the fact that the 53 signatories include 12 influential subcommittee chairs, 11 subcommittee ranking members, 9 members of the Black Caucus and 8 members of the International Relations Committee, which oversees issues concerning Indo U.S, relations. Members of the Black Caucus were particularly cager to sign the letter as X lambastes India’s treatment of VT Rajshekar, the leading advocate for the rights of the Dalits, or “Black Untouchables” of India. “Mr. Rajshekar’s passport is being withheld because he is a strong advocate of basic human rights for the Dalits,” the letter to Prime Minister Rao states. As you know, violations of the rights of Dalits are routine… Like Mr. Mann, Mr. Rajshekar has committed no crime. He has merely been writing forceful articles protesting continuing violence against the millions of Dalits in India, articles that your government describes falsely as “inflammatory.” Stating that the “freedom to travel is as fundamental as the right to vote,” the Congressional letter asks Prime Minister Rao to “restore the passports of Mr. Mann and Rajshekar and that all charges ‘against both men be dropped. To charge these men for speaking out S a betrayal of democratic principles. Continuing to charge them diminishes India’s stature in the eyes of the world”.
Right of Sikhs: “We are pleased that so many Members of Congress have signed this letter, “ said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan. “Their support encourages Sikhs and Dalits 10 persist in their struggles. As the Guru said, “Sura so pehchanye jolarre been ke haite.” (Brave is he who fights for the oppressed It is the moral obligation of Sikhs to stand up against Oppression wherever it exists). I took forward to the day when all the oppressed nations and people in India Sikhs, Dalits, Kashmiris and Nagasenjoy the freedom they so rightly de Dr. Crane’s letter says:
Sikh leader Simranjit Singh Mann was recently released. We are distressed, however, that Mr. Mann has only been released on bail and that the charges against him remain in place. Itis very disturbing that charges are still pending against Mann under an expired, repressive law, and that Mr. Mann continues to be denied his passport. As the leader of a democratic nation, how can you allow this repressive action to continue?
It has also come to our attention that V.T. Rajshekar, the Editor of the Dalit Voice and a prominent spokesman for the Black Untouchables, or Dali has also been denied a passport. Rajshekar’s passport is being withheld because he is a strong advocate of basic human rights for the Dalits. As you know violations of the rights of Dalits are routine even in the face of your widely proclaimed effort to remove the caste system from Indian society.
Like Mann, Rajshekar has committed no crime He has merely been writing forceful articles protestin, continuing violence against the mines of Dalits in India, articles that your government describes as “inflammatory.” The Supreme Court of India has ruled that Mr. Rajshekar’s guilt must be proven before his passport can be taken, but this been taken away. Holding a passport is a right of every citizen in democratic country, the freedom to travel is as fundamental as the right to vote, ‘Mr. Prime Minster, it takes more than elections to make a democracy. The pillars of democratic order are respect for the Jaw and for basic human rights. Both Mr. Mann and Mr Rajshekar’s are seeing their human rights and their rights under Indian Law violated. How can a democracy have such blatant disrespect for its ‘own laws? We respectfully ask that you restore the passports of Mr. Mann and Mr. Rajshekar immediately, and that all charges against both men be dropped. Speaking out about abuses strengthens democracy. To charge these men for speaking out is a betrayal of democratic principles. Continuing to charge them diminishes India’s staurein the eyes of the world. We call upon you to restore the passports of Mr. Mann and Mr. Rajshekar immediately. (DV 9/95).
Article extracted from this publication >> October 6, 1995
