Gurmit Singh Aulakh

Gurmit Singh Aulakh is the President of Council of Khalistan, an organization that supports the establishment of Khalistan, a sovereign Sikh nation in South Asia. He is a controversial figure in the Khalistan movement, and has made efforts to lobby politicians in the United States.

Khalistan movement

On October 7, 1987, Aulakh and his associates declared Khalistan's independence from India. Aulakh was declared as the President by the Panthic Committee selected by the Sarbat Khalsa in 1986.

In 1997, Aulakh received Quaid-E-Azam Jinnah Freedom Award from the Pakistan Golden Jubilee Celebration Committee in Houston, Texas.[1] as he supports Pakistani occupation of Khalistani Capital of Lahore.

On Ja. 30, 2001, Dan Burton mentioned in the Congressional records that an organization "Persecuted Church of India" had thanked Aulakh for his efforts.

On Oct. 14, 1999, John Dollittle stated in the House of Representatives that "the Council of Khalistan, held October 9 and 10 in New York, the delegates passed a resolution to nominate Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh, President of the Council of Khalistan, for the Nobel Peace Prize. I believe that he would be an excellent candidate."[citation needed]

On Oct. 13, 1999, Edolphus Towns stated in the Congressional records that Aulakh has been declared "Khalistan Man of the Year."[citation needed]

Lobbying and political connections

Dr. Aulakh has been a lobbyist for the Khalistan cause and was able to temporarily receive support from a few politicians in the US and UK.

   * Edolphus Towns, member of the U.S. House of Representatives, from New York. He has been a supporter of Khalistan and Nagalim. Towns also wanted to "declare India a terrorist state" because of "the pattern of Indian terrorism against its minorities", an allegation that was summarily dismissed by the White House.[2]
   * Dan Burton, member of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana. He was a supporter of an independent Kashmir and Khalistan but has distanced himself from both since 9/11
   * Jesse Helms, former five-term Republican U.S. Senator from North Carolina. About two decades ago, he had circumvented the State Department's refusal of a visa to separatist Khalistan activist Jagjit Singh Chauhan by inviting him to testify before a Senate agriculture committee he headed.[3]
   * Lord Avebury, a member of the British House of Lords.

Anti-India legislations

Aulakh and his supporters have been active in introducing anti-India legislations and have opposed aid to India.

In 1997, HR 182, the Human Rights in India Act, was sponsored by Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) and Rep. Gary Condit (D-CA). to cut-off U.S. development aid to India until the president certifies to Congress that India has taken "certain steps to prevent human rights abuses" in India. Another resolution, H. Con. Res. 37, sponsored by Condit and Rep. Dana Rohrbacher (R-CA) called for an internationally-supervised plebiscite in Punjab on the question of independence for the region. The act secured the support of only 82 members while 342 voted against it. Gurmit Singh Aulakh was involved in these legislations.

Almost none of these legislations have had any major effect. Dan Burton beat a hasty retreat again in the House of Representatives in August 1999, withdrawing his amendment seeking a 25 per cent cut in the US development aid to India, in the face of an overwhelming opposition. Burton could line up only two lawmakers to speak in his favour. On the other hand, at least 21 Congressmen successfully resisted the anti-India proposal. The opposition to the anti-India measure was so strong that Burton withdrew instead facing a decisive defeat on the floor.[5]