Bush urged to secure release of political prisoners in India

By Sridhar Krishnaswami

WASHINGTON, MARCH 10. A bipartisan group of 19 members of the House of Representatives, including some prominent India bashers, have written to the U.S. President, Mr. George Bush, urging him to take up the issue of political prisoners with the Indian Government.

``Please use whatever influence you have to see to it that all political prisoners are released. If they are not, then America should re-think its aid to India,'' the letter said.

The signatories included Mr. Dan Burton, the Republican from Indiana, who routinely introduces anti-India resolutions in the House.

Claiming that tens of thousands of Sikhs and other minorities were being held in illegal detention in India and the Amnesty International had published reports on political prisoners, the law makers said one of the ``cornerstones'' of democracy is the right to a fair trial.

``These people have not been given any trial at all. Yet they continue to rot in jail. This is unacceptable for a country that bills itself as `the world's largest democracy'. How can a democracy have political prisoners,'' Mr. Burton and others posed.

Quoting from The New York Times magazine of December 31, they said the Indian Government appeared to have carried out the murder of 35 Sikhs in Chithi Singhpora in March.

``Since Christmas 1998, there has been sustained attack on Christianity, including raping nuns, burning Churches and prayer halls, killing priests and other anti- Christian activities.''

``America is the bastion of freedom in the world. Your influence as President of the United States can make a difference for these political prisoners. We respectfully ask you to do whatever you can to secure their release and to see to it that persons are not held in jail without charge or trial.

``That will help bring real freedom, peace, security, and stability to the sub-continent.'

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