Sacramento: Balbir. Dhillon, who is a US. Citizen and a resident of Sacramento, CA, Was arrested by Indian authorities on May 19, 1996, during a visit to Punjab, India. Based ‘on information provided by his family Mr. Dhillon is being detained by the police at Jalandhar Chowki #2, Punjab. He was traveling on a valid U.S. passport at the time of his arrest.

On a request from Mr. Dhillon’s family, Dr. Rajwant Singh, President of International Human Rights Organization, contacted Congressman Vic Fazio. In his letter to the Indian Ambassador, Naresh Chandra, Vic Fazio said “If Mr. Dhillon has committed a violation of Indian law, then India should expel him and deport him to U.S., otherwise I request that he be released immediately.”

A group of 22 Members of Congress wrote to Secretary of State Warren Christopher asking that he take “strong action” to “‘secure the immediate release” of Balbir Singh Dhillon, a U.S. citizen and businessman who were arrested by the Indian regime in Punjab, Khalistan. Mr. Dhillon, 43, lives in Sacramento, California, with his wife and two children. He was travelling on a U.S. passport to pay homage at Sikh religious sites. This letter was sponsored by Rep. Gary A. Condit (D Cal.) Among the signers was Rep.

Vie Fazio (D Cal.), the third ranking Democrat in the House, who represents the district where Mr. Dhillon lives.

“It is feared that India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is torturing him,” the letter says. “We ‘appeal t0 you! To intervene with the Indian government to secure Mr. Dhillon’s release.” The Congressmen write, “It is bad enough that India commits atrocities against those living under its rule, but the arrest of an American citizen who was innocently travelling through Indian occupied Khalistan is a violation of American sovereignty and the principles of democracy and human rights.”

Unfortunately, this kind of action is typical of the repression for which India has become notorious,” the Congressmen wrote. “Many of us in Congress hope that the new government will reject this pattern of tyranny and respect the freedom and self-determination of all the people of the subcontinent,” they added. “The release of Mr. Dhillon would be a sign that the new government intends to move India toward genuine democracy.”

“This is a very important letter,” said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, Council of Khalistan. “Even.

Khalistani Americans are not safe in Indian occupied Khalistan,” he said. ‘The Council of Khalistan is the government in exile of Khalistan, the Sikh homeland which was declared independent on October 7, 1987. The ‘Council of Khalistan leads the peaceful, democratic, nonviolent struggle to liberate Khalistan from Indian occupation. “Only a free Khalistan will insure that Sikhs can live in freedom, peace, prosperity, and security, free from the tyranny of the Indian regime,” he said. “Releasing Mr. Dhillon would be a beginning in rejecting the terrorism that marked Congress Party rule,” he said. “I call upon Mr. ‘Vajpayee to see to it that Mr. Dhillon is released promptly. Also call upon the U.S, government to warn the government of India that it will not allow American citizens to be tortured in India or anywhere.” “If the BJP is dedicated to Hindu Rashtra (Hindu nationalist rule), then how can it deny the Sikh Rashtra, a free and independent Khalistan?” asked Mr. Aulakh. “This arrest is one: mote example of what Iqbal Masud, an Indian journalist, called “Super Nazi State,” he added. “Mr, Dhillon must be released immediately. Since India receives U.S. aid, the Congress should impose strong sanctions.”

Article extracted from this publication >>  May 29, 1996