‘Thatcher Backed Indira after Operation Blue Star’

Tom Watson a Member Of Parliament (MP) for West Bromwich East, UK, revealed that Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher had supported the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in eliminating the Khalistan activists, from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar in 1984. The operation titled Blue Star caused the death of more than thousand people.

Watson’s revelation that the “papers from Thatcher authorizing the SAS (Special Air Service) to collude with the Indian government on the planning on the raid of the Golden Temple” has shocked the British citizens of the Indian origin. The documents were among the letters released at the New Year by the National Archives in London.

Operation Blue Star was an Indian military operation that took place between 3 and 8 June, 1984, ordered by the Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to get rid of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the Harmandir Sahib in Amritsar, Punjab. Bhindranwale was accused of accumulating weapons in the gurudwara  to start an armed uprising. Operation Blue Star ended on June 10, 1984. .  Five months after the military operation Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards as a vengeance for the raid on golden temple.

In a letter to Thatcher on June 14 1984, Gandhi had expressed her concern about the pro-Khalistan elements operating from Britain and their effect on the tense situation in India. Thatcher replied on June 30, 1984, reassuring Gandhi and extending her support for restoring peace and prosperity in the troubled region of Punjab. Thatcher’s letter was sent by telegram to New Delhi and is among the several documents released by the national archives including the controversial documents. According to these documents, India had sought help which thatcher agreed to provide to eliminate the Khalistanis from the Golden Temple. Watson has asked the UK government for an explanation to the Sikhs around the world for Thatcher’s secret motives.

Infoeditor