California, US (June 12, 2011): As per Amrik Singh’s special report published by “Examiner.Com”, Stockton’s historical Landmark ‘Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan Society’ hosted a press conference on July 10, 2011 to campaign against death penalty to Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar. Sikh religious societies and human rights organizations participated in the meeting. Professor Bhullar’s mother Mrs. Upkar Kaur was a special invitee. Custodial deaths at the hands of Indian police during tortures are very common. Professor Bhullar’s father and uncle were never traced after they were picked up by the Indian police.
Through a unanimous resolution, the “International Coordination Committee to Free Professor Bhullar” was formed. Manjit Singh Uppal, President of Stockton Gurdwara, Bhajan Singh Bhinder of Sikh Information Center and Tejinderpal Singh Bhullar, brother of Prof. Bhullar were included as founding members. The purpose of the committee is to coordinate efforts at the international level to expose mockery of justice and denial of due process of law to victims belonging to minorities in India and failing to protect life of all human beings under Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
US Sikh Diaspora forms International Coordination Committee to Free Professor Bhullar
It is strange that India is not a signatory to the Resolution of Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The resolution was adopted in 1985 and India continues to defy international pressure to honor Article 55 of the Charter of the United Nation.
Bhullar was tried under a fabricated and controversial law TADA which was allegedly used against minorities in the name of controlling terrorism. None of the 133 witnesses could link him with any terrorist activities, the presiding Justice of the three-member Bench of the Indian Supreme Court ruled not only against the death penalty, but also acquitted Prof. Bhullar of any terrorist activities. But two other justices under reportedly political pressure upheld the sentence. Prof. Bhullar was coerced to put his thumb impression on a blank paper which was later typed to make his confessional statement.
Professor Davinderpal Singh Bhullar’s death sentence has aroused worldwide attention. Canada’s NDP leader Jack Layton has termed Bhullar’s trial ‘questionable’ and his conviction ‘doubtful.’ The European Parliament expressed doubt at India’s ability to remain on 47-nation UN Human Rights Council as India in May 2011 assured to ‘uphold the highest standards.’ The campaign to free Bhullar has support of World Coalition Against Death Penalty, American Civil Liberty Union, and Amnesty International.
A report entitled The Faces of Terror in India researched and written by Bhajan Singh Bhinder and Patrick J. Nevers of Sikh Information Center was distributed to the participating members. It narrates with evidence how government of India runs systematic and orchestrated false flag operations to malign members of minority communities. The involvement of a serving Colonel in providing RDX from the military arsenals to arrange bomb blasts in the name of Muslim terrorist groups was detailed in a separate chapter. The killing of 36 innocent Sikh villagers during visit of the then president of the United States Bill Clinton too had links with Hindu terrorist groups. These groups are quite often disguised in robes of Swamis, and decorated civil and military officers.
Husan Laroya of Ajit Jalandhar, Satnam Singh Khalsa of Sade Lok, Gurjatinder Randhawa of Punjab Mail, Kuldeep Dhaliwal of Indo-American Dialogue and Amrik Singh of Examiner.com participated in the press conference.
Representatives of different organizations addressed the issues related with the Sikh community. Manjit Singh Uppal, President Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan Society, Ajit Singh Aloarakh, Gen Secretary of Akali Dal Amritsar, Niranjan Singh Samra Gen secretary of Gurdwara Ceres Modesto, Bhai Gurmeet Singh Khalsa, Ex-president Gurdwara, Fremont, Pavinder Singh Kariha President of Gurdwara Tierra Buena Yuba City, Balbir Singh Dhillon , president of Gurdwara West Sacramento, Resham Singh from Bakersfield, Karnail Singh Khalsa of Khalsa Jagriti Lahir, Mohinder Singh, Gen Secretary Gurdwara Tracy, Harbans Singh Pamma of Live Oak, Kulwant Singh Khaira of Gurdwara Fremont, Jaswant Singh Hothi President of AGPC, Davinder Singh Bahiya of American Sikh Organization, Gulwinder Singh Gakhal, founder of Sikh Youth of America, Manjit Singh Brar Ex vice president of Sikh Youth, Darshan Singh Sandhu, Kuljeet Singh Nijjar, President Akali Dal Amritsar of California, Jasbir Singh Takhar, Harnek Singh, Kashmir Singh Thandi, Balhaar Singh, Darshan Singh Mundy, Coordinator of Media and Sacramento Interfaith Groups, Amarjit Singh Dadwal, Chairman Election, Stockton Gurdwara, Amarjit Dhanesar, ex-president Gurdwara Stockton, Amarjit Singh Tung, Bhai Baljit Singh, Joga Singh, Gurmel Singh Khela, Karmjit Singh Treasure, Harbhajan Singh of Ceres and Balwinder Singh Dhanola shared their views and extended support to the campaign for immediate release of Professor Bhullar.