NEW YEAR MESSAGE TO THE KHALSA PANTH
Let 2007 Bring Freedom to the Sikh Nation
May Guru Bless the Khalsa Panth in 2007 With Freedom, Happiness, Unity, and Prosperity
Dedicate New Year to Liberating Khalistan

Council of Khalistan
Washington, DC
January 9, 2007.

DEAR KHALSA, JR:

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

The New Year has already arrived. Happy New Year to you and your family and the Khalsa Panth. May 2007 be your best year ever. I wish you health, joy, and prosperity in the new year .

The flame of freedom continues to burn brightly in the heart of the Sikh Nation . No force can suppress it. Guru Gobind Singh blessed the Khalsa Panth, saying “in grieb Sikhin ko deom Patshahi.'' (“I bless the humble Sikhs with sovereignty.'') The Sikh Nation must dedicate this year to working hard to achieve that goal. Self-determination is the right of all peoples and nations and the essence of democracy. Without sovereignty, religions perish. With sovereignty, they flourish. Compare the situation of the Jewish people in Europe before World War II to their situation now. There is no reason Sikhs cannot achieve a similar change of fortune.

It has been said that “without vision, the people perish,'' but with vision, the people flourish. It is time for the Sikh Nation to flourish. Sikhs have suffered too much already under the yoke of Indian persecution since independence, especially over the past 25 years. We have seen the attack on the Golden Temple, over 250,000 Sikhs murdered and over 52,000 held as political prisoners, the murder of the Akal Takht Jathedar, more than 50,000 Sikh youth tortured, murdered, then declared unidentified and secretly cremated, their bodies never returned to their families. Their families continue to suffer. We must help their widows and orphans. Let us find the vision to throw off this repression. With that vision, the Sikh Nation will flourish; without it, we will perish and India's effort to eliminate Sikhism will succeed. This is the reason that Guru Gobind Singh sent Sikhs to learn Sanskrit and to gain knowledge of other religions, so that the Khalsa Panth might be more enlightened and be aware of the qualities of its own religion and culture.

The Indian government is reacting to the rising tide of freedom for the Sikh Nation . It has stepped up its efforts to destroy the Sikh religion and deny Sikhs an environment to flourish. They have kept Punjabi-speaking areas out of Punjab while supporting an influx of Hindus into Punjab. Sikhs are prohibited from buying land in Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttaranchal Pradesh, yet there are no restrictions on land ownership in Punjab by non-Sikhs. People from anywhere can buy land in Punjab, including people from Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. India is trying to subvert Khalistan's independence by overrunning Punjab with non-Sikhs while keeping Sikhs from escaping the brutal repression in Punjab. I ask Captain Amarinder Singh and Badal to get the Punjabi-speaking areas back from Haryana and Himachal Pradesh. These areas rightfully belong to Punjab. When will the political leaders of Punjab stand up for the Sikhs?

In Punjab, the Sikh population is 75 percent rural. Sikhs are dependent on agriculture. The lifeline of farmers is water. We must stop the diversion of Punjab's water to Rajasthan and Haryana without compensation. That is a natural resource of Punjab. A couple of years ago, Captain Amarinder Singh's government cancelled the water agreements. I call on Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to use his power to receive payments for this water. As we pay the price for the coal we get from the Indian government, then why can't we get paid for the water we give? Sikh leaders in Punjab must take a strong stand on this issue.

The Indian government squeezes Sikh farmers by all available means. They sell fertilizer and seeds at very high cost but when it comes time to sell produce, the government sets the price very low. This leads to thousands of farmers committing suicide because of their colossal financial indebtedness to the Indian government.

It is time to take control of the Bhakra Dam and the Nangal hydroelectric project. These belong to Punjab but are controlled by the Delhi regime. Punjab must take complete control of these projects and sell electricity at market rates. The Gobindgarah Fort, which was built by the Sikh missal Bhangian, was recently returned to Punjab by the Indian government. That is a good first step. Now all that is the Khalsa Panth's, including the sovereignty that is our birthright, must also be returned so that Sikhs can flourish in the glow of freedom promised by the Indian National Congress during the independence struggle.

The capital of Chandigarh was built by Punjab. Punjab must get it back from the Indian government. It is the height of highhandedness to make Chandigarh a Union Territory. I ask Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to take this good opportunity to regain, control of Chandigarh. This will help him politically as well. Haryana is a wealthy state; let Haryana build its own capital.

In November we met with Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. He said he would build a road from Kartapur Sahib to the Indian border, provided that the Punjab government builds its portion as well. I have visited Kartapur. There is only a mile or so of the road and the Ravi River is completely dried up. The bridge, which is on the Indian side, needs minor repairs. This road would be good for the people on both sides of the border. It would help build good relations between India and Pakistan, particularly between Pakistan and the Sikhs of Punjab. I urge Captain Amarinder Singh to build the road immediately so that Sikhs from Punjab can visit Kartapur Sahib where Guru Nanak departed this Earth for his heavenly abode. It is a serene place.

The RSS and its political arm, the BJP, want to divide the Sikh Nation . The Dasam Granth is RSS mischief. The issue of its authorship has been settled long ago, despite what any Indian-controlled Sikh leader may say now. I urge Akal Takht Jathedar Jogincder Singh Vedanti to stop the discussion of the Dasam Granth completely and concentrate his efforts on achieving freedom for Khalistan and stopping the vices that have percolated in the Sikh religion, including abortion of female fetuses, drinking liquor, and the caste system. Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa as equals. Mazhabi Sikhs are as good Sikhs as anyone else. They are our brothers and sisters and we must treat them as equals. Remember what Guru Gobind Singh said: “Ragrete Guru ke Bete.'' (“The Mazhabi Sikhs are the sons of the guru.'') Guru Gobind Singh lifted them up and Sikhs established Sikh rule from 1710 to 1716 and from 1765 to 1849. When America declared its independence in 1776, Punjab was already ruled independently by the Sikh missals.

Twice last year , Sikhs were arrested for making speeches in support of Khalistan and raising the Khalistani flag. The Indian regime is clearly worried about the rising tide in support of Sikh sovereignty. Let us dedicate our energy this year to achieving the establishment of Khalistan . Any organization that sincerely supports Khalistan deserves the support of the Sikh Nation . When Khalistan is free, the Sikhs can resolve these issues in a way that benefits the Khalsa Panth, not the forces of Hindutva.

However, the Sikh Nation needs leadership that is honest, sincere, consistent, and dedicated to the cause of Sikh freedom if we are to continue to move the cause of freedom for Khalistan forward in 2007 as we did in 2006. Remember the words former Jathedar of the Akal Takht Professor Darshan Singh: “If a Sikh is not a Khalistani, he is not a Sikh .'' Khalistan is the only way that Sikhs will be able to live in freedom, peace, prosperity, and dignity. It is time to start a Shantmai Morcha to liberate Khalistan from Indian occupation. We must achieve our freedom by peaceful, democratic, nonviolent means. Let that be the mission of 2007.

Elections for the Punjab Legislative Assembly will be held on February 13. Vote only for candidates who are committed to establishing Khalistan and will work to make it a reality. Every morning and evening the Khalsa Panth recites “Raj Kare Ga Khalsa.'' We must dedicate ourselves to realizing this. The time is now. We can do it by the ballot. I ask Sikhs of every political shade not to miss this opportunity. We must realize it now. When the Punjab Legislative Assembly reconvenes it must pass a resolution for the independence of Khalistan . As soon as that resolution passes, India will no longer be able to repress the Sikhs. Three million Sikhs living outside India will make sure that Khalistan is free without any further loss of human life. In a democracy, you can't rule the people against their wishes.

Sikhs will never get any justice from Delhi. Ever since independence, India has mistreated the Sikh Nation, starting with Patel's shameful memo labeling Sikhs “a criminal tribe'' even though the Sikh Nation gave over 80 percent of the sacrifices to free India. How can Sikhs continue to live in such a country? There is no place for Sikhs in supposedly secular, supposedly democratic India.

Let us make certain that 2007 is the Sikh Nation's most blessed year by making it the year that we shake ourselves loose from Indian oppression and liberate our homeland, Khalistan, so that all Sikhs may live lives of prosperity, freedom, and dignity. Now it is up to us. Do not waste this opportunity.

May Guru bless the Khalsa Panth in 2007 and always.

Sincerely,
Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh,
President, Council of Khalistan .