WASHINGTON: Alleged Human Rights Violations in the Indian state of Punjab were compared with Serbia’s “ethnic cleansing” in Bosnia by a World Sikh Organization leader at a March 1 morning Newsmaker, Gian Singh Sandhu, a WSO founding member and past U.S. and international president, also charged that some U.S. economic and humanitarian aid to India was being illegally diverted to military use by the Delhi government, and urged the Clinton Administration to send observers to the Punjab to investigate. Sandhu was interrupted at one point by an angry Indian journalist who disputed Sandhu’s assertions, shouted refutation and stormed out of the Murrow Room, snatching his overcoat from the rack as he left, Sandhu said he and other WSO representatives have met with Members of Congress on the Punjab human rights situation, and hope to meet with White House and other administration officials, Didar Singh Bains, another WSO representative and a California peach farmer, said the ultimate goal is creation of an autonomous Sikh speaking state, Khalistan, Newsmaker moderator Peter Hickman made a Special point of mentioning that the NP through the Morning Newsmaker Committee, had asked the Indian embassy if it would be interested in having Ambassador Siddhartha Ray address a future Newsman to give his government’s view of the issues addressed.
(Courtesy of The Press Club Record).
Article extracted from this publication >> April 16, 1993
