Punjab Chief Minister Attacked for Anti-Sikh Behavior

Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, recently it has been discovered that the Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, went and met with a Punjabi cult leader named Gurmit Ram Rahim Singh, who claimed to be a baba and was recently in the news for dressing up as the last Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh, and offering Amrit to anyone who called. Amrit is a very sacred ceremony in the Sikh religion and it cannot be done by just anyone. Ram Rahim also has murder and rape charges pending against him. Yet Mr. Badal went to him and bowed, seeking votes. Ironically, Ram Rahim came out for Mr. Badal's political opponents, the Congress Party. As Chief Minister, one of Mr. Badal's chief responsibilities is maintaining law and order. Yet he seeks support from this fake religious leader instead of prosecuting him for the damage he has done to the Sikh community and to Punjab. Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, has issued a press release condenming Badal's activities. It shows that chief Minister is allied with the Indian government against the Sikh people. Remember that when Badal was chief Minister before, he presided over the most corrupt government in Punjab's history. They even renamed bribery “fee for service.” His wife could tell the amount of money in a bag just by picking it up. Only by freeing themselves of Indian rule will the Sikhs be able to rid themselves of this kind of anti-Sikh leadership. The U.S. government can help by stopping aid and trade with India until criminals such as Ram Rahim are prosecuted and all human rights are observed and by putting ourselves on record publicly in support of self-determination for the Sikhs of Punjab, Khalistan, the Muslims of Kashmir, the Christians of Nagalim, and all the people seeking freedom in South Asia in the form of a free and fair vote. Isn't that the democratic way? The people of Kashmir were promised a vote on their status in 1948. They're still waiting.