SEATTLE: Mr. Ray, the Indian ambassador to the United States was disrupted in his speech at the University of Washington, in Seattle on Oct.27, 1993. The ambassador was to deliver a lecture on Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty.
Around 400 Sikhs carrying placards stood outside the lecture hall to protest against the diplomat who while Governor of Punjab was responsible for the killing of thousands of Sikh youths, said the demonstrators, About 2530 Sikhs were also in the lecture hall where Mr. Ray was going to speak.
When the Ambassador was questioned about the killing of thousands of Sikh boys during his tenure as the Governor in Punjab, and what he was doing in this country that believed in the equality and freedom to the minorities. Mr. Ray seemed to be at a loss in his reply while denying the accusations. The Sikh youths inside the hall demanded that Mr. Ray should not be allowed to speak.
When Ray, requested that he be allowed to speak at least for 10 minutes, the Sikh audience refrained him from speaking a single word, but later on at the Governor’s request he was allowed to speak for five minutes, While speaking about NPT he was once again questioned how a country which has 44% of its people below poverty line talked about NPT.
Dr.Amarjit Singh asked him whether he would accept international probe in his actions as the Chief Minister of West Bengal and as the Governor of Punjab, since he denied allegations of mass atrocities by his Governments while heading the administration in both states.
Some members of the audience called him a liar and a butcher of Punjab. Mr. Ray became very uncomfortable by the persistent attacks.
During this one of the Sikh members of the audience displayed a full size photograph showing tortured, Bhai Aviar Singh and shouted “Look this is what this butcher has done to our brethren in Punjab.” Mr. Ray denied that his government or he himself was aware of that person. Literature was distributed in the room to the spectators; Meanwhile, Security Personnel intervened and asked Ambassador Ray to leave the hall.
Mr. Ray was similarly accosted in L…A., N.Y. and in Freemont, on earlier occasions.
The protest was organized by the Sikh Youth of America (Seattle), LS.Y.F. And the Khalistan Affairs Center. Some of the University students joined in the demonstration in the University campus earlier.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 12, 1993
