BackIndia to seek information from UK on Bluestar report
India's foreign ministry reserves comments on the news report
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India’s foreign ministry on Tuesday reserved comments on a news report that said British special forces had helped the then Indian government draw up plans to storm the Golden Temple in 1984 to flush out Sikh militants, an operation that left more than 1,000 people dead.
“We have seen the news reports. We will seek information from the UK government on these reports before we comment on this," Indian foreign ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin said.
The news reports cited documents discovered recently including papers relating to then British prime minister Margaret Thatcher authorizing the British SAS (Special Air Service) to help the Indian government in planning the June 1984 operation, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
Then prime minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated in October 1984 by two Sikh security guards in seeming retaliation for the operation codenamed Blue Star. And subsequent anti-Sikh riots in northern India resulted in the deaths of thousands of people—with senior leaders of then ruling Congress party accused of instigating the riots.
A Hindustan Times report from London said the documents were discovered by Phil Miller, a researcher at charity organization Corporate Watch, and were immediately seized upon by opposition Labour party MP Tom Watson and several Sikh groups, who called for a full inquiry.
A British foreign office spokesman said: “These events led to a tragic loss of life and we understand the very legitimate concerns that these papers will raise. The Prime Minister (David Cameron) has asked the cabinet secretary to look into this case urgently and establish the facts".
He added: “The Prime Minister and the foreign secretary were unaware of these papers prior to publication. Any requests today for advice from foreign governments are always evaluated carefully with full ministerial oversight and appropriate legal advice."
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