HVK Archives: US Congressmen condemn militants' attack on Barnala
US Congressmen condemn militants' attack on Barnala - The Times of India
Times of India news service
()
12 January 1997
Title : US Congressmen condemn militants' attack on Barnala
Author : Times of India news service
Publication : The Times of India
Date : January 12, 1997
India has welcomed the gesture shown by the United States Congressmen in
condemning the violent attack on the senior Akali Dal functionary and
Lok Sabha M.P. Surjit Singh Barnala by Sikh militants while he was
addressing a group of academics and professionals of Indian-origin
during his visit to California last month.
It is learnt that 24 Congressmen, of both Republic and Democratic
parties, have in a joint letter asked secretary of state Warren
Christopher to issue a "clear and unequivocal condemnation," of the
incident. "We must ensure the Indian Parliament know that our government
will not ignore this attack on a fellow parliamentarian," they wrote.
They recalled in their letter how Mr Barnala was confronted by a group
of Sikhs who entered a meeting of the Punjabi literary society and
pelted him with rotten eggs. "One of the attackers grabbed Mr Barnala
and threatened to kill him. Mr Barnala attempted to leave the auditorium
through the back (door), but was met by a group of attackers who threw
stones. The local police was forced to escort Mr Barnala back to his
hotel in San Francisco," they said.
Incidentally, New Delhi had not thought it fit to take up the matter
with Washington, though the Indian consulate in San Francisco had
reported the incident to the ministry of external affairs duly. "We
could not have taken up the matter with the U.S. authorities since Mr
Barnala was visiting in his private capacity", said a MEA official here.
"However, we are happy that the U.S. Congressmen have raised their voice
against the attack", he added.
However, it has been considered to be an irony in the diplomatic circles
here that the United States law-makers appear more concerned about the
safety and security of the Indian parliamentarians than the Indian
government. "New Delhi should have protested over the incident and drawn
to the attention of the Clinton administration that terrorism, whether
in the United States or India, is a phenomenon to be viewed uniformly,
You cannot have one yardstick if the American interests are hurt by the
terrorist incidents and quite another for the Indian interests", said a
senior foreign policy analyst.
He then recounted that this was not the first time that Indian
parliamentarians have been attacked by the Khalistani and Kashmir
secessionists in the U.S. Noteworthy in this context was the case of
late. major-general Sparrow, then an MP.
However, this time the analysts and officials are happy that the U.S.
law-makers have risen to the occasion. Viewing the attack on a duly
elected member of a national legislative body of "friendly country" here
in the United States as "truly appalling", the Congressmen wrote that
"we fully expect any senior government official of a democratic nation
such as India to be able to travel freely and safely in the United
States, just as members of Congress have been able to travel freely and
safely in India".
"Silence from the state department about the attack can only serve to
strengthen the hand of elements in India and in the United States which
seek to destroy the growing bonds between our two nations," the U.S.
law-makers said. even as they "urged" Mr Christopher to issue the
condemnation "in the strongest terms possible".
Signatories to the letter included Frank Pallone. Gary l. Ackermen, Jim
Medermont, Bill Mccollum, Sherrod Brown, John Linder, Tom Lantos, Robert
Manendez and Marty Meehan.
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