WSN Special Report
As John Major reached India this week, dramatic events unfolded surrounding his visit Official press reports blamed Sikh militants for an abortive attempt on the. British PM’s lives while Britain’s stands on Human Rights issues were down played. Diplomatic efforts to negotiate a settlement on Kashmir were rebuffed while discussion regarding privatizing the economy were lent an ear in an effort to distance themselves from events that smack of the underhanded and surreptitious methods of the Indian Government, major Panthak organizations were quick to provide a response to reports that Sikhs were responsible for the attacks.
Reliable sources commented that the attempts to cast blame on the Sikhs serve the nefarious purposes of the Gov. in several ways. Once, the media attention lends credibility to the false reports and the demonstrations of outrage organized by responsible Sikhs which uses their time and talents so that they cannot devote their best efforts for their brothers. It must be noted that this is not the first time what the Indian government in collusion with western agents has tuned to thwart the justice system in one country or another. Our source recalled the incident with N.Y attorney Judy Russel who, acting on behalf of the Indian govt attempted to blame a letter threatening the life of their judge on Bhai Ranjit Singh Gill and Bhai Sukminder Singh.
The timing of the current mischievous story coincides with the signing of an extradition treaty between India and the U.K. According to our information a list of approximately 70 innocent devout Sikhs who are active in Sikh affairs in the U.K. is being forwarded for their extradition to India. Is a cover Story for the black deeds in Punjab and Kashmir where dozens of young Sikhs and Kashmiri’s are being liquidated every day. More than one hundred thousand Sikhs have been killed in the last 10 years and 20 thousand are languishing in Indian jails under draconian laws like TADA and NSA without recourse to trial. The whole of Punjab is like a Nazi concentration camp, Amnesty International has not been allowed to enter Punjab and Kashmir for the last 10 years. Instead of inviting in vesligaling international journalist to find the truth by themselves, the Indian govt has handed them this sensational story so that they may play it under the heading of “International terrorism’ which brings a bad reputation to the Sikh freedom movement.
“We hope the international media won’t play host to the evil Indian designs”, said the Panthak Committee spokesman at the Khalistan Affairs Center, “It is absolutely clear that our struggle for independence is according to International covenants and being fought under agreed norms of Geneva convention. Again armed struggle was not our choice but forced on us as a last resort as is clearly mentioned in the UN Declaration of Human Rights (Dec.10, 1948) that “rebellion is the ultimate choice when rule of the land may not have any regards for basic human nights of an Individual.” Armed struggle is ale ready going on in 10 statics of so-called Democratic India, mainly Punjab, Kashmir, Assam, Jharkand, Nagaland, and Manipur. Sikhs fought alongside the British army against forces of fascist Nazi Germany in the two world wars sacrificing more than 50,000 men in these wars for the reason that Sikhism believes in values of truth, justice and equality. Today, the same swastika worshiping Brahmins of India who are controlling the Indian system has declared a war on the Sikh Nation. If the U.K. govt decides to support and side with India regime then it should not forget what place it will have in the annals of history.” As U.K. transferred power to India and Pakistan on Aug.15,1947, Sikhs were invited as third party to the negotiations. Spurning the offer of an Independent country Sikhs went with India on the assurances of the “glow of freedom” in an independent democratic India. Betrayed later by the Indian National Congress, Sikh representatives in the constituent assembly refused to sign the draft of the Indian constitution which Sikhs have not accepted his day.
Great Britain has a moral, historical responsibility in getting justice for the Sikhs. We will appreciate and welcome any mediation effort by the U.K. Gov. in restoring Sikh self-respect and glory in an independent, sovereign Khalistan. “The Panthok Committee being an umbrella organization of the Sikh freedom fighters makes an offer of negouated settlement of the issues with any international mediation by demarcating the boundaries of Khalistan. We arc against any bloodshed and believe in permanent peace in the Indian subcontinent. Ending occupation of the temitories of Khalistan by the half million man Indian army will facilitate peace in the region said the statement signed by Dr.Sohan Singh, Daljit Singh, Shahbaj Singh, and Satinderpal Singh.
Prime Minister Gurmej Singh Gill Spokesman for the “Khalistan Government in exile” said he was disgusted to see how second-rate and corrupt the Indian Government had become. “However, this is not a change in the Indian Governments’ policies only the same ones blown up out of proportion. It is believed that the Sikhs arrested were working for the Indian government and were trying to give Sikh communities around the world a bad name and take the attention away from the oppression and torture being inflicted upon the Sikhs in India.
We can honestly say that we would never support such a crime and it was not carried out by any of the Sikhs serving under the Khalistan Government in exile.
Our Government needs the support and assistance of the British Government and its people. Therefore it can only be classed as being senseless for us to try anything that may endanger the British Prime Minister. Major has supported the Sikhs in Britain and respected our principles and our rights.
Such a crime would not be just against an individual but against the whole country. Being Sikhs we simply cannot commit a crime of such devastation.
This is just another plot by the Indian govt to dishonor the Sikhs, and take away the little help they may be getting from western governments. At the same time being reducing those respected citizens to criminals against the state. We would like to take this opportunity to ask Major to launch a full investigation into this incident,” said the statement.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 29, 1993
