An Indian Sikh devotee takes a dip in the holy sarover (water tank) during the Maghi Mela at the Sikh Shrine Golden Temple in Amritsar on January 14, 2014. PHOTO: AFP
LONDON: Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered an investigation into official papers which suggest the British government of Margaret Thatcher helped India plan an attack against Sikh separatists in the Golden Temple at Amritsar in 1984.
The attack on Sikhism's holiest shrine angered Sikhs around the world who accused the Indian army of desecration. The death toll remains disputed, with the Indian authorities putting it in the hundreds and Sikh groups in the thousands.
The assault triggered the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who ordered the attack, when two Sikh bodyguards killed her in revenge several months later.
Recently released British government papers from the time, publicised by Tom Watson, an opposition Labour party lawmaker, suggest Thatcher responded positively to an Indian government request for advice on planning the attack and sent an officer from the elite Special Air Service (SAS) to help draw up a plan.
A spokesperson for Cameron's office said on Tuesday the British prime minister had ordered an investigation as a result.
"These events led to a tragic loss of life and we understand the very legitimate concerns that these papers will raise," the spokesperson said. "The Prime Minister has asked the Cabinet Secretary to look into this case urgently and establish the facts."
Jeremy Heywood, the cabinet secretary, is Britain's top civil servant. Cameron and Foreign Secretary William Hague had been unaware of the papers prior to their publication, the spokesperson added. Syed Akbaruddin, a spokesperson for India's foreign ministry, said his government was only aware of the story from the media.
"We will take it up with our UK counterparts and seek more information," he told Reuters TV.
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@goggi (Lahore):
"Hindu" is what the invaders referred the native Indians as. Indians themselves never referred themselves with that name till it came into popular use. Despite the above fact, your post absolutely makes no logical sense and is lacking in intellect.
@assad: Quality counts more than quantity. See Israel as an example. History does not matter a great empires like Greek, roman,Egyptian are now not strong.
@goggi (Lahore): 'Our madrassa teacher told us, that it originates from the Indus river which flows through the heart of Pakistan. I bet he was lying? Yes he is lying, What was Pakistan before 1947?
@goggi (Lahore):
Sikhs are Hindus who chose to follow a different Dharmic religion. They also belong to the same race as Punjabi Hindus. I suppose, Pakistani history books tend to be truly atrocious!!
@LalaGhee: @water bottle: Sikhs have 5 Ks ordered from their Gurus, namely Khees(uncut long hair), Kara(bangle), Kanga(comb), Kirpan(sword) and Kacha(underwear).
Since Sikhs are a martial race, the tight kacha/underwear was strictly prescribed from their Guru, because of the reason, that during they run, they do not stumble on their own hair!
I don't see any reason why you guys are always in the mood of quarrelling?
@water bottle: may be his(goggi lahore) family problem.
So UK helped India win in Golden Temple attack? ..I wonder who else helped India in 1971 war. Its all the more important for PAKISTAN to from a NATO style alliance with China.
@Peace: And people think colonialism was defeated and Queen is ceremonial.
@goggi (Lahore):
"Even the Chief of Indian Army is a Sikh who has never shaved his hair from any part of his body!"
I wonder why did you do the act of peeking at our army chief's private parts!!!!!
Anyways, congratulations on coming out of the closet.
@goggi (Lahore): That's because only merit counts in India. No one cares about the length of your beard or the madrasa you attended or how much your wife is covered.
Well, only the Muslims would be able to steal defeat from the jaws of victory. They got a good opportunity in Iraq to develop a democratic country, but what had they made it into? With a scientific temper less than a high school in a non-Muslim country, they can never dream of any technological achievement. They were winning in the era when only brute force and cheating counted, but now that technology is the biggest factor, they are back to the caves.
Indians aren't stupid enough not to know whats good for them and take up arms against their friends. The Soviets and Americans got fed up with the infighting and that's the reason they moved away from Afghanistan. Whats happening in Iraq and Afghanistan now, other than people fighting among themselves? Once the sunnis clear all the shias or vice versa, they will start fighting on who has the biggest beard.
If a country or religion wants to be stuck in stone age, why should the rest of the world try to move them screaming to be civilized?
But I do have to admit that the muslims' recent loss is only because they lack in knowledge and technology. Equalized by all other factors, the muslim fighter is the best fighter the world has ever seen. We Indians can never dream of mounting the resistance that Iraq and Afghanistan (2 countries where poverty rule of law was no where to be seen) put up against the US. Afghanistan successfully put up a resistance so strong against the Soviet Union. Under the same circumstances, no Indian would have used dared pick up a gun. It is only the muslim who fights against all odds and either gives his life trying or wins. Salute to the mysterious Muslim fighter who draws his strength from where I don't know where.
@Rama: its bull that sikh are mejority of indian army…
Even the Chief of Indian Army is a Sikh who has never shaved his hair from any part of his body!
@Striver: All the time the muslims fought against non muslim armies in the last 100 years, they never won. The entire Arab armies were beaten by Israel multiple times and couldn't do anything except for their impotent rage.
where are my Indian Friends today??
@Striver: Coming from muslim soldiers who have got defeated by a tiny country?
As far as I know and I know a lot, non-Sikh Indians are afraid of Sikh Indians. The Indian government requested help from US, UK and Russia. USA declined because of the culturo-religious sensitivities. MI6 planned and Spetznaz fighters executed the plan. The Spetnaz were particularly interested because during that time the Afghan war was going on and while the Sikhs can not fight as fiercely as their Muslim counterparts, the Soviets wanted some basic lessons.
P.S.: I am a proud atheist Indian. India's unity is my personal concern; however, I aspire to become a journalist. And honest reporting is one of the professional parameters I have to obey.
Its amazing how people cherish a temple more than human life. The government was after Sikh terrorists hiding inside the temple. They were not after destroying the holy shrine. Why does the Sikh community never condemn the terrorists for hiding in temple and risking innocent pilgrims ? Proved again that religion makes people's brain go dumb and numb to human life value.
@striver 'its bull that sikh are mejority of indian army...
So left only with Hindu soldiers the Indian army is useless. Sikhs make up majority of the army, the force capable of fighting. Cold start therefore lies in cold storage without the Sikhs.
Still people think that India is democratic country.
if sikhs hide separatists in golden temple we definitely going to bomb it.