New York (January 13, 2014)
With
the information going public that Special Air Service (SAS) of United
Kingdom was involved in planning the invasion of Golden Temple in 1984,
"Sikhs For Justice" (SFJ) an international human rights group with the
support of Sikh groups across World announced that 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".
The demand to pass resolution in British
parliament is being supported by Sikh organizations from Punjab, UK,
United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.
American Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee (AGPC), an umbrella organization
of Gurudwaras across United States, "Canadian Sikh Coalition" (CSC), an
umbrella organization of Gurudwaras across Canada, Sewa 84, a UK based
human rights NGO, "Movement Against Atrocities and Repression", a Swiss
based human rights group, "Supreme Sikh Council of Australia", "Voices
For Freedom", a US based human rights NGO, and All India Sikh Students
Federation (AISSF), a Punjab based Sikh social organization.
Indira Gandhi ordered the military invasion of
Golden Temple in 1984 to suppress the demands of Sikh sovereignty,
resulting in the death of more than ten thousand innocent pilgrims who
were in attendance to commemorate the martyrdom of Guru Arjun Devji.
Citing the statement of Winsten Churchill who
stated the "British people are highly indebted and obliged to Sikhs for
a long time. I know that within this century we needed their help twice
and they did help us very well. As a result of their timely help, we are
today able to live with honor, dignity, and independence", attorney
Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, legal advisor to SFJ stated that unfortunately
when the Sikh Nation needed the United Kingdom's help, Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher betrayed the Sikh interests and assisted Indira Gandhi
in planning the invasion of Harmandir Sahib by Indian army." The British
parliament must publicly acknowledge with a resolution that the
assistance afforded to the Indians in 1984 and the participation of SAS
Officers was wrong added attorney Pannun.
According to Jatinder Singh Grewal,
International Policy Director, SFJ, Canada, the participation of British
forces in planning invasion of Golden Temple with Indian army exposes
Indira Gandhi's nefarious design to suppress the voices of Sikh
sovereignty by involving world powers. Using PM Thatcher in her plans to
attack clearly shows Indira Gandhi's malicious intent of attacking
Golden Temple on a day when it is crowded with pilgrims and an attempt
to justify army assault on holiest Sikh shrine with being answerable to
international community added Grewal.
SFJ announced that "Rally's will be held in
America, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, New Zealand in the
month of February to mark the 30th year of UK's collusion with Indian
Government to attack Golden Temple and to push for a resolution in
British parliament declaring that PM Thatcher's action was wrong.
