Amritsar, Jan.14 (ANI): The Sikh siaspora the world over has expressed outrage over the United Kingdom's alleged collaboration with the Indian Government in carrying out 'Operation Bluestar', to flush out militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar in June 1984.
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Avtar Singh Makkar called for an independent probe into the report. He said the attack on a religious and holy place was condemnable, and it had come as a surprise that the UK Government had helped India on this score.
"Their (UK) government also runs with religion as a base, and if they have helped the Indian Government in attacking the shrine, then they have committed the biggest crime," said Makkar in a hard hitting statement here.
A lawmaker from Britain's Labour party has claimed that he has seen documents that suggest that the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher's administration dispatched Britain's Special Air Service (SAS) officials to help Indira Gandhi in the storming of the Golden Temple.
Dr.Pritpal Singh, Coordinator of American Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (AGPC), said: "It is sad if such a help was given. However, the Government of India must clear its stand on the issue."
He welcomed the probe initiated into the incident and asked the UK Government to make the documents relating to the revelations public.
The operation had led to a deep resentment among the Sikhs over an armed attack on their most revered shrine.
Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the head of the New York-based Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) demanded that the British Parliament should immediately pass a "resolution that action of PM Thatcher of colluding with Indira Gandhi to attack the holiest Sikh shrine was wrong."
Senior SGPC member and former general secretary Kiranjot Kaur said: "The revelations had been made by British Secretary that Indira Gandhi had reached out to UK Government is very disturbing. It seems the government was in touch with the UK Government."
"We would like to know details about the participation of UK government in Operation Bluestar. Gandhi always used to talk about foreign-hand and we now realize that this could be the foreign hand she used to talk about," she added.
Dal Khalsa, a radical Sikh body has written a letter to David Cameron, Prime Minister of United Kingdom, to express its pain, concern and anguish over the startling revelations.
The letter, written by the party's spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh, reads: "The news report about the secret document from British National Archives revealing the UK government collaborating with Indian government to plan the attack has shattered the Sikhs from within. The Sikh diaspora is deeply hurt and the news has left them numbed."
Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) head Manjit Singh GK said: "The Congress was the master mind behind the killing of innocent people during the operation. Now, the present government at the Centre, is also led by Congress, and it should clarify and made its stand clear." (ANI)
By Ravinder Singh Robin
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