Golden Temple inquiry urged
THE BISHOP of St Albans has called for a wider inquiry into the UK’s involvement in the storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar in 1984.
Bishop Alan Smith warned there was a risk of some British Sikhs becoming radicalised due to their anger about the issue.
Foreign Secretary William Hague recently commissioned a review into claims an SAS officer provided advice to the Indian Government on the operation, which may have killed up to 3,000 people.
Mr Hague said the review showed recently that British military advice was given to India ahead of the deadly attack but it had only “limited impact”.
Bishop Smith said during a debate on the issue in the House of Lords: “I am acutely aware of the pain, anguish and consternation that many of my Sikh friends feel. I want to identify with that.
“I am aware of just how difficult this is for them and of what they are feeling at the moment, as British citizens who have learnt that their own Government provided military advice not long before Operation Blue Star.
“I am not surprised that they are asking a lot of questions as they reflect on what happened.”
He said that during the 1990s he had carried out some research into the Sikh community in the West Midlands and found they had some of the highest levels of motivation and ambition and were achieving excellent academic results.
“We know from other ethnic minority and minority religious groups in this country that sometimes events can be so significant - or, to use a rather overused word, so iconic - that they become catalysts for the radicalisation of a minority of their followers.
“Fortunately, there are few signs that this is happening in the Sikh community at the moment. However, there is a real danger that it could happen.”
He praised the role of the Mr Hague and his “clear commitment to transparency”.
But he added: “Nevertheless, in this case there are reasons why we need some sort of wider inquiry into what went on. We need to ensure that if there are any other areas in which there was complicity, not least between our Government and the Indian Government, they should be acknowledged.
“If we are going to claim the moral high ground of believing in open government, and if we want our Sikh brothers and sisters to know that they are fully part of our nation and their contribution is still valued, we need to take a further look at this issue and have some sort of wider inquiry.
“If we fail to do so and to do everything we can to address the serious concerns being expressed by all sections of the Sikh community - and they are widespread concerns - there is a real danger of long-term damage to our excellent and outstanding community relations that have been built up over such a long time. I hope that we can find some way forward to give deeper reassurance to our Sikh brothers and sisters.”