NEW YORE: “People are beginning to realize the truth, truth will win out,” said Congressman Wally Herger referring to the large number of votes for his amendment to cut aid to India by $25 million, till the human rights situation there improved. Congressman Herger was addressing the congregation at the Sikh Cultural Society in Richmond Hill, where thousands of Sikhs had gathered to honor and thank him. He was introduced by Jagjit Singh Mangat the president of Sikh Cultural Society and Dr. Gurcharan Singh president of the World Sikh Organization (USA) gave a biographical background of the Congressman.

Didar Singh Bains chairman of the World Sikh Organization (International) and a prominent constituent of the Congressman, bestowed a siropa (robe of honor) to Congressman Herger on behalf of the congregation of the Sikh Cultural Society.

The congressman said that the efforts of Sikhs all over the U.S. had contributed in the positive response from Congressmen, “I had numerous members of the Congress that would come to me and say Wally, well I had all those Sikhs that came to visit me and they are giving me the facts. Believe me, the members of the Congress are beginning to become more aware of the facts. What I want to do today is to encourage you to continue as you have. I am certain in my mind that we will eventually prevail,” he said. Earlier in his speech, the Congressman said he was very touched by the honor of bestowed upon. him.

“J strongly condemn the use of terrorism wherever it occurs. While terrorism supposedly perpetuated by the Sikh in India revives almost all of the press attention here in U.S., many action committed by Indian government an almost a dacty basis if not a daily basis, could just as easily be characterized as terrorism as well.

“In fact the Committee For Information and Initiative in Punjab had accused the Indian government of state terror against the Sikhs,” he added.

“India has hosted it is the wor1d’s largest democracy, but a truly democratic nation must extend basic human rights to all of its citizens. I am concerned that this basic tenant of democracy has been ignored in India during the past years,” he said.

“In December of 1987 the House of Representatives passed a Sense of the Congress Amendment to the 198889 Foreign Assistance Act. It called on the government of India to report the human rights of its minorities. It was simply ignored by the Indian government.

Reports of human rights abuses are even more frequent than two years ago.

In Haryana a woman was raped daily by policemen during a 16 year period by the police. Only one policemen has ever been jailed or fined till now, the Congressman said quoting Amnesty International.

“It is time, that the United States takes a firm stand on this issue. Some of the Congress resolutions have not gotten the word through. The seeming disregard for human fights within the Indian government adds to our concern of India’s growing military alliance with the Soviet Union he said.”

Referring to his recent amendment he said “We came remarkably close of winning an the house floor, inspite of the strong opposition of Representative Steven Solarz a fierce backer of the Indian government.

“The debate was carried nationwide on Cspan television and was beamed to millions of households in the country,” he added.

Congressman Wally Herger cited a number of Congressman who were helpful in his efforts,” Congressman Danny Haster (IL) served ‘as my chief floor assistant during the vote, Congressman Dan Burton (IN) and Cong Jim Walsh (NY) spoke on the floor in favour of our efforts, Cong Norman Shumway (CA) and Cong Jerry Soloman (NY) were prepared to speak if we had more time. Cong Vie Fazio (CA) was also very helpful,” he added.

Congressman Herger also referred to his Sense Of The Congress Amendment which codified India’s continued funding of the Afghan communist government and their pursuit of a nuclear development. It was adopted unanimously.

I thank you for the opportunity of visiting you, and seeing so many that are here today. It certainly gives me just that much more courage to 0 out and fight the battle just chat much harder in the future, the Congressman concluded.

Didar Singh Bains thanked the Congressman. “Since I know the Congressman, I knew from the beginning that he would fight for the truth. He will never back off or be swayed by threats,” he said.

India wanted to throw out Sikhism just as it threw and Buddhism,” he added.

“We have to save our religion. We need friends like Wally Herger. We have to support those who can stand for truth, not those like Congressman Solarz, Bains said.

“Indian government threatened the Congressman. They said, We have a lot of Indians here, we got a lot of money. They already know how to work. If you don’t cool off, next election we are going to put a candidate to defeat you. We are lucky our Congressman took the challenge.

Ronald Kuby, the lawyer defending Ranjit Singh Gill and Sukhwinder Singh in their extradition case said, “it takes a while to awaken the conscience of the United States, but it is awakening now.”

Referring to the case he said, “ for two years we have fought the lies of the Indian government. Recently we won a small but important victory. The Federal court in New York ruled last week that the habeas corpus petition would stay in New York and (wend not go back to New Jersey.

Ms. “Mazy Pike who is also defending Gill and Sukhi, said. “The necessity of defending human rights is one that involves all” of us”.

It matters not what the identity of the government that dispatches death squads-is it is wrong. It matters not what the identity of a government is that tortures men, women and children it is wrong. It matters not what the identity of a government is that strips its laws of its own protections in order to wipe out those it perceives to be enemies of the state, that is wrong.”

“To often the United States has subverted foreign policy interests to the cause of human rights. They seek to do that in the case of Ranjit Singh Gill and Sukhminder Singh Sandhu. We will prevent them,” she added.

Congressman like Wally Herger, Dan Burton, Norman Shumway were following the path of truth, Dr. Iqbal of the human rights group Churcil said while addressing the congregation.

“Let me tell you that Wally Herger has the heaviest hurdles against him today because the Indian government has decided to oppose him for reelection next year.

“We want to thank these great men for choosing the path of truth,” he added.

He also referred to the preventive detention laws and said, “Is this democracy?”

“Three directors of state owned Indian TV have dismissed because they did not show enough of Rajiv Gandhi,”. 90 percent of India is

fed government propaganda. Is this democracy?” he asked.

 

Article extracted from this publication >>  July 14, 1989