 "Did Britain play a role in Operation Blue Star?")
A Sikh Labour MP in the UK has demanded an independent inquiry into Britain’s role in Operation Blue Star .
Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the MP from Slough, has demanded that the Labour government look into the actions of the Conservative regime under then prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
Dhesi claimed the previous Tory governments had “tried to brush the issue under the carpet.”
“In 1984, the global Sikh community suffered catastrophic collective trauma when the then Indian government ordered the storming of the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar, which led to devastating destruction and bloodshed, with thousands of innocent people losing their lives,” Dhesi said.
“Thirty years later, to our shock, new documents exposed that the Thatcher government had helped their Indian counterpart by providing advice prior to that military operation. In its pursuit of the truth and transparency, the British Sikh community duly launched a campaign for an independent inquiry to establish the extent of that involvement,” he added.
“While previous Conservative governments have tried to brush the issue under the carpet, Sikhs expected the new Labour government to establish that promised independent inquiry. When will that be initiated?”
Leader of the Commons Lucy Powell agreed it was a matter of “great importance to the Sikh community in the UK.”
Powell last week said Dhesi was “absolutely right” to continue to raise it on behalf of the country’s Sikh community.
“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,” she said.
But what do we know about Britain’s role in Operation Blue Star?
Let’s take a closer look:
Operation Blue Star
First, let’s take a brief look at Operation Blue Star.
The military operation, which took place in June 1984, was ordered by then prime minister Indira Gandhi .
The target? A group of Sikh militants who had holed up in the Golden Temple in Punjab’s Amritsar.
The militants were led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale – a separatist who was advocating for the establishment of the state of Khalistan.
Bhindranwale, who anointed himself “the authentic voice of the Sikhs,” had grown popular among some Sikh youths with his fiery rhetoric.
Bhindranwale and his followers took refuge in the Golden Temple – one of the holiest sites in the Sikh faith – to avoid being captured by the police.
In May 1984, Indira gave the Indian Army the nod to take out Bhindranwale and his followers.
This was done over the objections of many in the cabinet including Pranab Mukherjee.
By 29 May, 1984, troops from the 9th Infantry Division in Meerut and paramilitary commandos had reached Amritsar.
But Bhindranwale and his followers were ready.
They had already smuggled vast amounts of arms and ammunition into the Golden Temple and placed guns at strategic locations.
They had also received training from Major General Shahbeg Singh – who had been dismissed by the Indian Army over corruption charges.
According to Britannica, the first exchange of fire between the militants and the army occurred on June 1, 1984.
By then Major General RS Brar had been sent to Punjab to lead the operation.
On June 2, as the military surrounded the Golden Temple, Indira went on All India Radio and said, “Don’t shed blood, shed hatred.”
By June 3, the state was under curfew.
The military began its assault on June 4 – which culminated in a midnight assault on June 6 that included heavy gunfire and tanks.
On June 7, Bhindranwale’s body was found in the basement of the Akal Takht.
The Golden Temple was damaged and the Akhal Takht and an important Sikh library were completely destroyed.
According to BBC, authorities say around 400 people including 87 soldiers died during Operation Blue Star.
However, Sikh groups insist that the number is in the thousands.
As a fallout of the operation, Indira was assassinated by her two Sikh bodyguards.
Indira’s death led to anti-Sikh riots across the country — particularly in Delhi.
Thousands were killed and thousands more were left injured and homeless.
What role did Britain play in the operation?
The issue has periodically surfaced in UK politics over the past few decades.
The last time it did so was under Prime Minister David Cameron in 2014.
According to The Caravan, this came after independent journalist Phil Miller in January 2014 found declassified documents which showed that the UK government had answered “favourably” to India asking for help in Operation Bluestar.
As per BBC, Labour MP Tom Watson also claimed to have seen papers from Thatcher “authorising Special Air Services (SAS) to work with the Indian government” and said that a British adviser “visited India and drawn up a plan.”
Cameron then ordered an internal inquiry into the subject.
Then cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood was tasked with inquiring into whether the UK government had spent a special forces officer to counsel the Indian government on how to remove militants from the Golden Temple.
As per Rediff.com, the British government in its report said it played a “purely advisory and limited” role in the operation.
The 12-page report, tabled by then foreign secretary William Hague in British Parliament, stated that the UK military advisor visited India between February 8 and 17.
Hague in the report added that the aim of the visit was to give advice to the Indian counter-terrorism team on the concepts of operation they were already working on including tactics and techniques.
“I can confirm that the report makes clear that the military officer’s instructions were that no UK manpower or equipment should be offered beyond the visit of this single military adviser,” the report stated.
The report said that this advice was given in response to an appeal from the Indian intelligence co-ordinator for expert military advice.
The report said that the government agreed to do so on the basis of the UK High Commission saying it would be good for bilateral relations.
The report found “no evidence” that the UK provided equipment or tactical intelligence.
The report also pointed to Indira’s letter to Thatcher dated June 14, 1984, which “made no reference to any UK assistance.”
“This loss of life was an utter tragedy,” Hague said at the time, as per BBC.
“Understandably members of the Sikh community around the world still feel the pain and suffering caused by these events.”
Then prime minister David Cameron said, “I hope the manner in which we have investigated these dreadful events will provide some reassurance to the Sikh community, here in Britain and elsewhere.”
“A single UK military officer provided some advice. But critically, this advice was not followed, and it was a one-off.”
Brar, who headed the operation, insists that the UK played no role in Operation Blue Star.
“If some things went around months earlier or weeks earlier with other agencies, intelligence agencies, I am not aware of them,” Brar told the BBC in 2014.
“From the time I was given command of Operation Blue Star until I planned it and executed it, let me emphatically tell you that there was no involvement whatsoever as far as the British are concerned.”
With inputs from agencies
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