Under the leadership of Hardial Bains, the Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist) launched an international campaign to mobilize public opinion to call for the release of Justice Bains and oppose the use of black laws in India and promotion of state-terrorism to suppress the striving of the people of Punjab for justice and their right to be. As part of that campaign, Hardial Bains wrote four appeals in the form of Open Letters. The fourth, titled It is a Matter of Concern, addressed the Canadian government’s failure to condemn the kidnapping and detention of Justice Bains by the Indian Government on April 3, 1992.

Hardial Bains wrote:

“My concern is not just the release from detention of Justice Bains, even though I consider this an important matter. My concern is also to defend those principles and views which could help all others and strengthen the movement in defence of human rights and democracy. This is why I stated on April 12 in Toronto that we must not only demand the immediate release of Justice Bains and all others held under TADA [the Terrorism and Disruptive Activities (Prevention)Act] and other black laws, but we must also uphold the principles on the basis of which human rights can be defended. It is indeed a concern that the Canadian government is not defending such principles.

“I call on all women and men of conscience to express their concerns about the attitude of the Canadian government towards the right to conscience since, to date, it has failed to call for the release of Justice Bains or uphold his right to conscience. Neither has it called for the repeal of all black laws in India. For the Canadian government to participate in the controversy over whether or not Justice Bains stands for “an independent state in Punjab” is to play a negative role and encourage the Indian government to continue to violate human rights and crush democratic forces.

“The five siblings of Justice Bains who are citizens of Canada, three brothers and two sisters, and our children and grandchildren, have a direct stake in the reputation of the Canadian people as justice and peace-loving people. We have a right to speak, not only against what is being done to our brother, Justice Bains in India, but also about the stand of the Canadian government. It seems that the government is pursuing a policy tantamount to absolving the Indian government of its repressive policies and actions.

“I put the case to the Canadian people, to all women and men of conscience, to look into the conduct of both the Indian and Canadian governments. Canadians should condemn the Indian government’s violation of human rights and demand that Justice Bains be released, that TADA and all black laws be repealed and those who are guilty of various crimes be punished. At the same time, they should demand that the Canadian government do the same.

“Knowing and appreciating deeply the support already given by the Canadian and other people in defence of the right to conscience and for the release of Justice Bains, the work to make the Canadian government turn its words into deeds will not be in vain. All women and men of conscience have a duty to perform in this regard.”

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