LONDON, UK—In 1984, the Indian Government attacked the Sikhs’ Holiest Shrine, Sri Darbar Sahib, and its surrounding complex often referred to as The Golden Temple Complex. According to independent sources, thousands of men, women and children were killed by Indian forces in the events that followed. This attack was accompanied by raids at Gurdwaras across Punjab on a holy Sikh Holiday along with a complete military takeover of the state.
The Indian Government raised armed forces, tanks, missiles, and specialist air defence which was used to destroy the Sikhs’ holiest shrine and caused the loss of life of thousands of people under the pretense of removing a single man from the complex—while pilgrimaged by thousands of innocent Sikhs. This later lead to the eventual execution of the then Indian Prime Minister, Mrs Indra Gandhi.
30 years on, as we approach the 30th anniversary, it has been revealed by secret Number 10 communication papers released by the British Government over the past 24 hours that an SAS officer, from an elite military unit, was sent to India to aid the government in its genocide and assault on Sikh holy shrines. SAS drew up plans which were approved by the Indian Government although it is not clear what these plans entailed and whether they were ultimately actioned.
Details have emerged in two documents among a large batch of government papers released under the 30-year rule and which have been published on the blog Stop Deportation. Upon release of the papers, MP’s up and down UK have been urged by constituents to call for independent inquiry into the matter. The papers indicate that Mrs Thatcher was aware of the involvement of an SAS officer in drawing up a plan—although it is not clear whether the Indian army operation followed this advice.
Mr Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague had been unaware of the papers prior to their publication, the Government spokesman added. Today, Downing Street said Mr Cameron has now ordered an investigation by top civil servant Sir Jeremy Heywood.
In a statement, the government acknowledged that the raid “led to a tragic loss of life and we understand the very legitimate concerns that these papers will raise.” It said Prime Minister David Cameron had been caught unaware by the paper’s content and had ordered an urgent investigation into the matter.
“Any requests today for advice from foreign governments are always evaluated carefully with full ministerial oversight and appropriate legal advice,” the statement added.
Documents show a letter, dated 23 February 1984, from Brian Fall, private secretary to Geoffrey Howe, the Foreign Secretary, to Hugh Taylor, his counterpart under the Home Secretary, Leon Brittan.
It shows the Indian authorities “sought British advice over a plan to remove [so-called] Sikh extremists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.”
The letter explains that Mr Howe decided to “respond favourably to the Indian request and, with the Prime Minister’s agreement, an SAD officer has visited India and drawn up a plan which has been approved by Mrs Gandhi. The Foreign Secretary believes that the Indian government may put the plan into operation shortly.” The reference to SAD is understood to be a typographical error for SAS.
Widespread condemnation has followed following the emergence of such explosive evidence that the British Government was in collusion with India in planning a mass assault on a minority community which ultimately led to the massacre of thousands of unarmed civilians on one of the holiest days of the Sikh calendar.
Gurmel Singh, Secretary General of the Sikh Council UK, said: “Thousands of innocent men, women and children were killed in the attack, which took place on one of the holiest days in the Sikh calendar. This is and remains one of the darkest episodes in Sikh history.
“I am calling for an urgent inquiry into UK government involvement in the events of 1984 including a full disclosure of all documentation. The letters date from February 1984 yet the attack took place in June 1984 and then there was the subsequent genocide of Sikhs following Indira Gandhi[’s] assassination in October 1984. I want to know, what else were the UK Government saying and doing over all that time?”
A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said that “The Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Secretary to look into this case and establish the facts.”
The Network of Sikh Organisations confirmed in a press release that Lord Singh had been in contact with the British Government and offered to support any investigation into the matter. Although according to Twitter, Paul Uppal MP has confirmed that Lord Singh is not involved with the investigation.
MP’s from across the board and across all parties have come out calling for an independent inquiry into the role of the UK and questions raised by the release of these documents. Conservative MP Paul Uppal, who has spoken to PM David Cameron, confirms that Number 10 are taking these documents seriously and has called for inquiry. He has started a petition available at https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/british-government-to-launch-an-urgent-inquiry-into-british-involvement-into-the-1984-attack-on-amritsar-and-disclose-all-relevant-documentation#share .
Various MP’s up and down the country are supporting questions to be tabled to the Prime Minister tomorrow in the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions in Parliament.
