A Sikh group has been left “disappointed” after Labour did not open an inquiry into potential hyperlinks between the UK and deaths of a whole bunch of Sikhs on the Golden Temple in India in 1984.
Sir Keir Starmer wrote a letter to Sikhs in 2022 promising a Labour authorities would “open an independent inquiry into Britain’s military role in the Indian army’s 1984 raid on the Golden Temple in Amritsar”.
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In 1984, momentum was constructing for a separate Sikh state to be established – with occasions ultimately turning violent.
This armed insurgency was met by a extreme authorities crackdown.
In 2014, the UK authorities by accident revealed they could have been linked to the Golden Temple raid.
Operation Blue Star
In June 1984, Operation Blue Star noticed Indian forces storm the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine in Amritsar, the place separatists had taken refuge.
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale – a Sikh chief and violent revolutionary and key advocate for a Sikh state – was among the many a whole bunch killed. Sikh teams argue the true variety of lifeless was within the 1000’s.
Picture:
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Amritsar in April 1984 – he was amongst a whole bunch killed. Pic: AP
Months later, prime minister Indira Gandhi, who had ordered the raid on the temple, was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in an act of revenge.
In 2014, paperwork by accident launched by the British authorities confirmed Margaret Thatcher was conscious of the Indian state’s intention to raid the temple and within the months earlier than the raid, a British SAS officer offered recommendation to the Indian authorities.
Then prime minister David Cameron requested civil servant Jeremy Heywood to conduct an investigation.
Mr Cameron later mentioned: “Around four months before the event, at the request of the Indian government, a single UK military officer provided some advice. But critically this advice was not followed, and it was a one-off.”
He added: “There is absolutely no evidence of UK government involvement in the operation itself.”
‘Cowl up’ accusation
The Sikh Federation beforehand accused the federal government of a “cover up” and has been calling for a judge-led inquiry.
In Friday’s letter to David Lammy, the Sikh Federation’s lead government Dabinderjit Singh mentioned “Labour has now been in power for over 6 months and there has been total silence” on the inquiry “promised by Labour for the last 10 years”.
He additionally identified that regardless of the 5 letters already despatched to Mr Lammy, they’ve “not even had a holding reply” concerning the consideration of an inquiry, as pointers state they need to obtain.
The letter was despatched after Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, who’s chair of the defence choose committee, additionally referred to as for an inquiry.
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Lucy Powell, the Labour chief of the Home of Commons, mentioned: “We need to get to the bottom of what happened, and I will ensure that the Ministers responsible are in touch with him to discuss the matter further.”
