WASHINGTON, DC: Neil Dhillon, highest Indian official in the Clinton Administration, will step down from his Subcabinet post over the summer and explore a run for the U.S. Congress from the 6th Congressional District of Maryland, President Clinton appointed Neil Dhillon, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Governmental Affairs at the U.S, Department of Transportation on January 20,1993 the first day of the oath of office.

Neil Dhillon was born in Lon don, England and his parents Mr.& Mrs.Ranjit Dhillon are from In dia. Neil was raised in Cumberland, Maryland. He graduated from American University in Washington, D.C. with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science.

“I am taking a personal risk in giving up a subcabinet post that I have worked so hard to achieve but my true belief is that the people in Western Maryland deserve better and need immediate care and attention. We must think of our future and our children and deal with the problems of budget deficit, environmental issues, health care and improving the economy. My responsibilities at the Department of Transportation and to the President of the United States is to solve major transportation problems, create more jobs for the common man and woman and put the American economy firmly back on the path of recovery. Congress man Roscoe Bartlett has failed to support any of these critical jobs issues.”

Dhillon says that he will take his pledge to the people and begin door to door discussions to hear more about district problems, His exploratory committee will last fora few months before he makes a final decision.

“With over one million Indian Americans in this great country, there is not one Indian American in the U.S. Congress. The time has come now for the second genera lion to step up to the plate and take a chance of being elected to high office. I have over 10 years of public service experience in creating jobs and helping improve the economy. Now I want to give back what I have learned to my com munities. The Indian American community has relied heavily on other Members of Congress to carry our legislation. It is time for us to be heard.”

At31, Dhillon already has 10 years of experience on capital Hill. His desire to defeat long time legislator Roscoe Bartlett is based as a desire to serve the public and his mark as the first Indian American to hold such a post. He told this reporter that his primary aim was to address the issues of Human Rights Violations occurring in India and elsewhere and that he planned to implement an Indian American task force to thoroughly investigate the issue and make appropriate recommendations to Congress and the White House. He said that one area neglected in the review of the aid to India was the need for Housing and Education, and Infrastructure and that these would be among his major priorities where U.S.  Indian relations were concerned.

We asked Neil to comment on his ties to the Punjabi Sikh community and he said he was “proud to be a Sikh Punjabi both by culture and family.” He told us that although Punjabi was spoken in his home, he has lived in the U.S. since six years of age and he con siders himself Indian American or Asian American culturally and sees one of the greatest needs in the community as the need for unity as a face in U.S. politics. His foal is compromise. When questioned about his support for cither the Burton Bill or the Fazio Amendment (Denying aid or limiting aid to India) he said that he hoped to be the one to carry such issues on the floor of the House as the main representative of the community, Asked if he supported Stephen Solarz nomination in envoy (am bassador to India he equivocated slightly, saying that Solarz was an experienced person who had not necessarily been supportive of Sikh concerns last, if Solarz nomi nation is successful it would be hove Sikhs and their representatives to make the best of it.

Again, compromise is the name of the game and presenting a united front the aim of this future Congressman.

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 9, 1993