NEW DELHI: The American Embassy here has expressed gratitude to the Akali Dal (Mann) for its support to help liberate Kuwait. But the embassy turned down the group’s offer to send volunteers to fight the war because they could not be recruited outside United States territory. In reply to a letter received from the Dal party secretary C.S. Sidhu the embassy said last week that the U.S. and its allies were grateful to the Indian government and the Akali Dal for supporting efforts to free Kuwait embassy sources said.
The sources said the Akali Dal (Mann) president S.S.Mann had not spoken to American Ambassador William Clark on the telephone as reported in a local newspaper since the envoy had been in Washington for some time. The reply to the Dal letter written to the Ambassador was sent by the embassy charged affaires P. Grant Smith.
About the Dal offer to donate blood the embassy said this should be done through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The Dal letter of Jan.31 as published offered to send hundreds of thousands of Sikh volunteers to help free Kuwait to restore order and peace in the Gulf.
It said “The Sikhs strongly support the cause of the allied forces in the Gulf and we are ready to do anything within our means that is send doctors nurses and other paramedical staff including lakhs of Sikhs who are ready to join U.S. ranks on the battle front.”
The letter recalled that the Sikhs had supported the British in two world wars and were ready to repeat their role.
It asked the Ambassador to convey the Sikhs feelings to President George Bush British Prime Minister John Major and the Emir of Kuwati Sheikh Jabar al Ahmed al-Sabah.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 8, 1991
