Protest in RS over Gore's "recognition" of Khalistani group

Responding to concern expressed by several members during the zero hour in the Rajya Sabha, Welfare Minister B S Ramoowalia said the Indian government viewed the matter very seriously and that the country’s unity and integrity would be protected.

Gore’s office apparently returned a standard reply to such notes using a mechanism that automatically put the US vice-president’s signature on letters. The US State Department, which clarified that the US government and Gore himself viewed Punjab as an integral part of India, said serious note was being taken of how the letter was being used by the separatist organisation.

Though the US state department had warned Gore’s staff about the contents of the missive from Dr Gurmit Singh Aulakh, "president" of the Council of Khalistan, due to a communication gap the letter had apparently gone to an office which had not known of it. Gore’s staffers made their biggest mistake when they began the letter saying, "Thank you for writing to me regarding the ongoing civil conflict in Khalistan."

The issue was raised in the Rajya Sabha by S S Singla (Congress) who attributed diabolical motives to Gore, saying it was an effort to promote secessionist activities in Punjab to destablise the country. Other members joined Singla in asking the government whether it knew of Gore’s communique and if the matter had been taken up with the US government.

They wanted a formal protest should be lodged with the US ambassdor to India. Senior Congress leader N K P Salve said the communication gives the impression that the United States vice-president had no sense of history, geography or even the current affairs.