4th April 2010, New York, NY:  Voices for Freedom writes to the Secretary of State and USCIRF, urging them to cancel visa of the visiting Indian minister, Mr. Kamal Nath. Mr. Kamal Nath is visiting the United States (U.S.) for an exclusive roundtable with the U.S. India Business Council (USBIC).  Mr. Nath, who was a Member of Parliament in 1984, played a role in the pogroms of the Sikh minority in India.

Sudip Minhas, Executive Director of Voices For Freedom, said: “US Congress has recognized the history of foreign governments who have persecuted communities based on their religious beliefs. Thus, Congress enacted the International Religious Freedom Act of 1988, which was added to the Immigration and Nationality Act (I.N.A.) under section 212(a)(2)(G).”

She further stated: “This legislation added a new ground for the inadmissibility and prevents the admission, entry, and issuance of a U.S. Visa to any alien who, while serving as a foreign government official, was responsible for or directly carried out, at any time, particularly severe violations of religious freedom.”

In 1984, Kamal Nath was a Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Constitutency ‘Chhindwara’, Madhya Pradesh. Former Chief Justice, Girish Thakorlal Nanavati, appointed by the then National Democratic Alliance government of India on 8th May 2000, to look into the 1984 case, has found that the reply filed by Kamal Nath is vague. Justice Nanavati said, “He has not clearly stated at what time he went there and how long he stayed. The situation at the Gurdwara become very grave at 11.30 am and continued to be grave till 3.30 pm. Evidence shows Kamal Nath was seen there at 2 pm. The Police Commissioner arrived at 3.30 pm, which means he was there for quite a long time. He has not stated whether he went to the Gurdwara alone or with other persons, or how he went there. He has not stated if he looked for the police or tried to contact policemen who were posted there to ensure the situation remained under control. He left that place after the Commissioner arrived. He has not stated that he met him. He was a senior political leader who went to the Gurdwara feeling concerned about the law and order situation, therefore it appears strange that he left abruptly without even contacting the police officers who had come there.”

Voices For Freedom will join other Human rights organizations and activists on an upcoming "Justice Rally" organized by “Sikhs For Justice”, against Kamal Nath's visit on April 8, 2010 at 8.00 AM outside McGraw Hill Auditorium, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY.

Voices For Freedom