Title: Recognizing February 4th as "Saka Nakodar Day".
Policy area: International Affairs

Summary:
This resolution recognizes a Saka Nakodar Day.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 908 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 908

           Recognizing February 4th as ``Saka Nakodar Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 4, 2022

    Ms. Lofgren (for herself and Ms. Eshoo) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
           Recognizing February 4th as ``Saka Nakodar Day''.

Whereas, on February 4, 1986, four unarmed and peaceful Sikh students, namely 
        Ravinder Singh, Baldhir Singh, Jhilman Singh, and Harminder Singh were 
        killed by State Police in Punjab (``State'') India's Nakodar 
        subdivision, in an unprovoked firing while participating in protest 
        against the desecration of Sikh scripture ``Sri Guru Granth Sahib'' 
        considered by all Sikhs to be the final, supreme, and living Guru after 
        the lineage of 10 Sikh Gurus;
Whereas the State authorities violated the freedom of peaceful assembly which is 
        endorsed by Article 20 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of 
        Human Rights, Article 21 of the United Nations International Covenant on 
        Civil and Political Rights, and Article 5 of the United Nations 
        Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;
Whereas the dead bodies were secretly disposed of to conceal this extrajudicial 
        killing;
Whereas the State government constituted a commission of judicial inquiry headed 
        by a renowned jurist on this incident;
Whereas the Justice Gurnam Singh commission of inquiry submitted its report to 
        the State government on October 31, 1986, but the government failed to 
        place and discuss the report, along with the mandatory Action Taken 
        Report, in the State assembly within six months of submission;
Whereas the State obscured the relevant parts of the judicial commission inquiry 
        report and took no action, not a single perpetrator has been brought to 
        justice to date;
Whereas the victims' families have been fighting for truth, justice, 
        accountability, and closure for over 36 years;
Whereas this incident has now also received international attention as Dr. 
        Iqtidar Cheema, Member of United Nations Global steering committee of 
        Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, has raised 
        it on various international forums;
Whereas the United States is an advocate for the democratic and human rights of 
        all people and stands in solidarity with the families of the victims of 
        the Nakodar incident and Sikh Nation in their pursuit of truth and 
        justice as they continue to build worldwide support; and
Whereas the incident has come to be known as ``Saka Nakodar'' for the Punjabi 
        word for massacre, ``Saka'', and the region in Punjab, ``Nakodar'', 
        where it took place: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes a ``Saka 
Nakodar Day''.
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