Amritsar 'genocide' commemoration: Sikhs to march through London
8 June 2014
Last updated at 02:27 GMT
Protesters say India did too little to prevent the killing of thousands of Sikhs in rioting later that year.
They are calling for the deaths to be recognised as genocide.
'No justice' It happened three decades ago but time has not dimmed Sikhs' memory of the bloody assault in June 1984.
British Sikhs have also been angered by the revelation in previously secret papers published by the UK government in January, which showed that an SAS officer was recruited to help plan the operation.
It has added to what has often been a preoccupation among Sikhs - including those in Britain - with the scars left by the events of 1984.
Their march, which promises to be as colourful as it is noisy, will make clear that many British Sikhs believe that justice has never been done.
The temple was built of white marble by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjun, in the 16th Century
Although in June 1984 the Golden Temple had been occupied by
heavily-armed extremists, even moderate Sikhs were horrified by the
violence of the Indian army's attack.
The spectacular collection of shrines in Amritsar in Punjab is central to Sikhism.
.
The temple - or gurdwara - was built of white marble by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjun, in the 16th Century - and later partly coated in real gold.
Guru Arjun later completed the Adi Granth - the holy scripture of Sikhism - and placed it in the temple.
The image of the Golden Temple in the centre of a lake of holy water - the "Amritsar" that gives the city its name - is iconic for Sikhs.
.
This building and others around it were taken over by militants under the leadership of an extremist seminary student Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Blue Star Bhindranwale wanted an independent homeland for Sikhs, where they could escape what he claimed was discrimination from the Hindu majority.
There were also demands for a greater share of the water from sources serving Rajastan and Punjab.
To the government of Indira Gandhi, the movement represented a
destabilising influence in a strategically important part of the
country.
Mrs Gandhi ordered Operation Blue Star, which led to commandos, and later tanks, being used to attack the temple complex.
The botched attack led to the deaths of many.
.
Storming of the Golden Temple
The media were largely excluded but after the attack Indian
troops showed off weapons captured from the militants for the cameras.
They also carried out a sweep of Punjabi villages and towns, during which tens of thousands of young men were arrested, according to Sikh groups.
.
Five months later - at the end of October - two of Indira Gandhi's Sikh bodyguards shot and killed her, in revenge for what had happened.
It triggered an outburst of communal violence targeted at Sikhs, especially in the capital Delhi.
.
'Communal violence' Sikh homes and businesses were attacked and set on fire and at least 3,000 people were killed.
There are claims that many of those killed were identified using voting lists.
It is not the first time British Sikhs have marched through London to protest against the attack on the Golden Temple and India's failure to prevent the killings in November 1984.
But the protest has been given fresh impetus by the publication of the papers released under the 30-year, indicating a British role in planning Operation Blue Star.
Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood has been asked to "establish the facts" over British involvement
The documents suggest that an SAS officer was authorised to
advise the Indian authorities with the full knowledge of Margaret
Thatcher who was then prime minister.
.
Letters among the papers reveal an awareness that a military attack on the complex would "exacerbate communal violence in Punjab".
Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood has been asked to "establish the facts" but Sikh groups are demanding an independent, judge-led, inquiry.
Ceremonial dress The Sikh Federation says that as the documents date from February 1984, the British government can be held responsible for its failure to warn British Sikhs who travelled to Punjab in the months that followed and were caught up in the violence.
There will be a few people with first-hand experience of the aftermath of Operation Blue Star on the march in London..
It will be led by five Sikhs in ceremonial dress with swords
drawn, and will include floats on the themes of "truth", "freedom" and
"justice".
Among older British Sikhs, some still support calls for an independent homeland in Punjab.
Even as that aspiration fades with the passing years, a younger generation - some too young to remember the events of June 1984 - remain determined that what they say was the massacre of Sikhs should not go unpunished.
 |
| The Golden Temple is one of the holiest shrines for Sikhs |
Several
thousand Sikhs are expected to march through central London later in
protest at the storming of India's Golden Temple 30 years ago.
Sikhs say thousands were killed when Indian Prime Minister
Indira Gandhi sent the army into Sikhism's holiest shrine to flush out
militants.Protesters say India did too little to prevent the killing of thousands of Sikhs in rioting later that year.
They are calling for the deaths to be recognised as genocide.
'No justice' It happened three decades ago but time has not dimmed Sikhs' memory of the bloody assault in June 1984.
British Sikhs have also been angered by the revelation in previously secret papers published by the UK government in January, which showed that an SAS officer was recruited to help plan the operation.
It has added to what has often been a preoccupation among Sikhs - including those in Britain - with the scars left by the events of 1984.
Their march, which promises to be as colourful as it is noisy, will make clear that many British Sikhs believe that justice has never been done.
 |
| The image of the Golden Temple in the centre of a lake of holy water - the "Amritsar" that gives the city its name - is iconic for Sikhs. |
The spectacular collection of shrines in Amritsar in Punjab is central to Sikhism.
.
The temple - or gurdwara - was built of white marble by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjun, in the 16th Century - and later partly coated in real gold.
Guru Arjun later completed the Adi Granth - the holy scripture of Sikhism - and placed it in the temple.
The image of the Golden Temple in the centre of a lake of holy water - the "Amritsar" that gives the city its name - is iconic for Sikhs.
.
This building and others around it were taken over by militants under the leadership of an extremist seminary student Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Blue Star Bhindranwale wanted an independent homeland for Sikhs, where they could escape what he claimed was discrimination from the Hindu majority.
 |
| Indian army soldiers moved to flush out Sikh separatists from the Golden Temple in June 1984 |
Mrs Gandhi ordered Operation Blue Star, which led to commandos, and later tanks, being used to attack the temple complex.
The botched attack led to the deaths of many.
.
- 1982: Armed Sikh militants, led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, take up residence in the Golden Temple complex
- 3-8 June 1984: The Indian army attacks the Golden Temple, killing Bhindranwale, his supporters and a number of civilians
- 31 October 1984: Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who had given the go-ahead to Operation Blue Star, is assassinated by two Sikh bodyguards
- November 1984: More than 3,000 are killed in anti-Sikh riots across India
They also carried out a sweep of Punjabi villages and towns, during which tens of thousands of young men were arrested, according to Sikh groups.
.
Five months later - at the end of October - two of Indira Gandhi's Sikh bodyguards shot and killed her, in revenge for what had happened.
It triggered an outburst of communal violence targeted at Sikhs, especially in the capital Delhi.
.
'Communal violence' Sikh homes and businesses were attacked and set on fire and at least 3,000 people were killed.
There are claims that many of those killed were identified using voting lists.
It is not the first time British Sikhs have marched through London to protest against the attack on the Golden Temple and India's failure to prevent the killings in November 1984.
But the protest has been given fresh impetus by the publication of the papers released under the 30-year, indicating a British role in planning Operation Blue Star.
Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood has been asked to "establish the facts" over British involvement
.
Letters among the papers reveal an awareness that a military attack on the complex would "exacerbate communal violence in Punjab".
Cabinet Secretary Jeremy Heywood has been asked to "establish the facts" but Sikh groups are demanding an independent, judge-led, inquiry.
Ceremonial dress The Sikh Federation says that as the documents date from February 1984, the British government can be held responsible for its failure to warn British Sikhs who travelled to Punjab in the months that followed and were caught up in the violence.
There will be a few people with first-hand experience of the aftermath of Operation Blue Star on the march in London..
In February, William Hague said a review had concluded British advice had "limited impact" on the Amritsar operation.
.
.
Among older British Sikhs, some still support calls for an independent homeland in Punjab.
Even as that aspiration fades with the passing years, a younger generation - some too young to remember the events of June 1984 - remain determined that what they say was the massacre of Sikhs should not go unpunished.
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