Khalistan Times Copyrights 1998

Khalistan Times

Copyrights 1998, All rights reserved, WWW.Khalistan.Net

U.S. Congress Demands Punishment of Those Who Raped Nuns in India

WASHINGTON, October 9 -- A bipartisan group of 23 Members of the U.S. Congress wrote to Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee condemning the recent rape of four nuns in Madhya Pradesh and calling for "strong action against the rapists." The sponsors of the letter were Congressman Edolphus Towns (D-NY) and Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-Cal.) Other signers include Representative Eni F.H. Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa), Representative Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Government Reform and Oversight Committee Chairman Dan Burton (R-Ind.), Representative Esteban E. Torres (D-Cal.), Representative Jack Metcalf (R-Wash.), Representative Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Representative Philip M. Crane (R-Ill.), Representative Peter T. King (R-NY), Representative William Jefferson (D-La.), Representative J.C. Watts (R-Okla.), Representative Richard Pombo (R-Cal.), Representative John T. Doolittle (R-Cal.), Representative Wally Herger (R-Cal.), Representative Gary Condit (D-Cal.), Representative Donald Payne (D-NJ), Representative Sam Farr (D-Cal.), Representative Mac Collins (R-Ga.), Representative Elizabeth Furse (D-Ore.), Representative Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.), Representative Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.), and Representative Dale Kildee (D-Mich.) "Rape is a serious crime, and rape against religious workers is an assault on the principle of religious freedom which all democratic nations hold dear," the Members of Congress wrote. A leader of the Vishwa Hindu Prashad (VHP) called the rapists "patriotic youth" and called for the expulsion of all foreign missionaries from India. The VHP is affiliated with the RSS, a Fascist organization. The ruling BJP is the political wing of the RSS. The Congressmen wrote that "a democratic country must be founded in the rule of law. Otherwise it descends into mob rule. The law must apply to all." The letter also noted that "thousands of Sikhs languish in prison for several years without charge or trial." It noted that the government in Punjab had tried to disrupt the first meeting of the People's Commission, which was formed to look into police atrocities against the Sikhs. "Professor Jagmohan Singh said that Punjab is a police state," the Members of Congress wrote. "How can a police state be tolerated in a democracy?" The letter also cited abuses against the Muslims of Kashmir, the Tamils, the Assamese, the Nagas, the Dalits, and others. "We urge you to take steps to correct the abuses, punish the guilty, and address problems in the system that give rise to the abuses," they wrote. "We expect a democratic state like India to live up to the principles of democracy and the rule of law." " I would like to thank the Members of Congress who signed this letter," said Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, the government pro tempore of Khalistan, the independent state declared by the Sikhs on October 7, 1987. The Council of Khalistan leads the Sikhs' peaceful, democratic, nonviolent struggle to liberate Khalistan. "They are helping to expose the reality of human-rights violations and tyranny in India. Human-rights violations are offensive to the Sikh Nation, as they should be to all people," Dr. Aulakh said. "These Members of Congress have raised their voice for freedom. They are to be commended," he said.

Congress of the United States

Washington, DC 20515 October 9, 1998

The Honorable Atal Bihari Vajpayee
Prime Minister of India
Chanakyapuri New Delhi INDIA

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

We are very disturbed by the recent rape of four nuns in Madhya Pradesh. Rape is a serious crime, and rape against religious workers is an assault on the principle of religious freedom which all democratic nations hold dear. The comments by a spokesman for the Vishwa Hindu Prashad that the rapists are "patriotic youth" and that foreign missionaries should not be allowed to function in India adds to the offensive nature of this terrible incident. He referred to the nuns as "antinational forces" even though they are only there on a religious mission. India proclaims its commitment to democracy and secularism. How can a peaceful religious mission be "antinational"? We respectfully ask that you take strong action against the rapists and see to it that they receive full punishment for their actions. A democratic country must be founded in the rule of law. Otherwise it descends into mob rule. The law must apply to all. Christians are not the only ones suffering from human-rights violations. Thousands of Sikhs languish in prison for several years without charge or trial. The Punjab government has tried to prevent an independent investigation of the abuses by the police in Punjab. At the first meeting of the People's Commission, Professor Jagmohan Singh said that Punjab is a police state and the police are never punished for their crimes. How can a police state be tolerated in a democracy? The Muslims of Kashmir, the Tamils, Asamese, Nagas, Dalits, and others continue to suffer from significant violations of their human rights, according to independent human-rights monitors. We urge you to take steps to correct the abuses, punish the guilty, and address problems in the system that give rise to these abuses. As members of the United States Congress, we will be watching with interest the actions that you take. We expect a democratic state like India to live up to the principles of democracy and the rule of law.

Sincerely,

Rep. Edolphus Towns Rep. Dana Rohrabacher Rep. Dan Burton Rep. Bernard Sanders Rep. Esteban E. Torres Rep. Jack Metcalf Rep. Tom Coburn Rep. Philip M. Crane Rep. Peter T. King Rep. William Jefferson Rep. J.C. Watts Rep. Richard Pombo Rep. John T. Doolittle Rep. Wally Herger Rep. Eni F.H. Faleomavaega Rep. Gary A. Condit Rep. Donald Payne Rep. Sam Farr Rep. Mac Collins Rep. Elizabeth Furse Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Rep. Cynthia McKinney Rep. Dale Kildee

khanda-1.gif (1783 bytes)

Click here for Main Page