WASHINGTON DC, USA—Responding to a petition filed by Sikhs for Justice legal adviser Gurpatwant Singh Pannun seeking formation of Khalistan (a sovereign Sikh state), the Obama administration has refused to comment on the petition citing it as ‘Specific Policy Issue’. Notably, the petition was started online on the White House website on July 10 this year and had secured 106,703 signatures.
The petitioner had demanded liberation of India occupied Punjab citing it as indigenous land of Sikhs. It was said in the petition that the Sikhs were subjected to genocide in 1984.
Petition further stated that “1947 did not bring independence for Sikhs in India where followers of Sikhism, the world’s 5th largest religion are labeled as “Hindus”; Sikh Golden Temple was destroyed by Indian Army; Sikhs were subjected to genocide in Nov 84 and thousands were extra-judicially killed by security forces for demanding right to self-determination.”
Petition claims that Sikhs should be entitled to their own land on the basis that they have their own separate religion, are the indigenous people of Punjab and have been subjected to genocide in India. Petition states that the SIkhs have the right to self-determination under Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.
Text of the response quoted by Obama led White House administration is as follow:
“Thank you for expressing your views in this petition.
President Obama has made it a priority to promote and protect religious freedom for all people, both at home and abroad. In an address to the people of India in 2015, President Obama reaffirmed the universal right for those who practice faith to do so as they choose and without fear of persecution.
The peace we seek in the world begins in human hearts. And it finds its glorious expression when we look beyond any differences in religion or tribe, and rejoice in the beauty of every soul. And nowhere is that more important than India. Nowhere is it going to be more necessary for that foundational value to be upheld. India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along the lines of religious faith — so long as it’s not splintered along any lines — and is unified as one nation.
The United States has monitored and publicly reported on human rights issues, including the atrocities committed against members of the Sikh community during the 1984 violence in India. For example, the State Department’s Official Country Reports on Human Rights Practices covered the violence and its aftermath in considerable detail. We will continue to report on important human rights concerns, and State Department reports are available to the public.
While we appreciate your participation on this platform, we cannot comment here on the specific policy issue raised in your petition. You can read the full Terms of Participation here to understand why we the People is designed the way it is, and to learn more about its guidelines for use.
Thanks for using this platform to engage with your government.”
