London: Sikh Council UK has welcomed the legal steps being undertaken to seek disclosure of any British link to Indian Amry’s attack on Darbar Sahib (Amritsar) in June 1984 or the Amritsar Massacre of June 1984.
Freelance journalist Phil Miller is pursuing a claim before the Freedom of Information Tribunal for disclosure of the files that have not been released under the 30 year rule.
UK’s Top Secret documents declassified under 30 years rule revealed British government’s role in June 1984 attack [File Photo]
Separately Sikh Federation UK is commencing proceedings for a judicial review of the Government’s decision not to agree to an independent enquiry into British involvement in the events of 1984 following the Government recently re-affirming its decision not to institute an independent enquiry.
Sikh Council UK Spokesperson Jagjit Singh said “We have been calling for full disclosure since it was revealed four years ago that the British Government had provided military planning advice to the Indian authorities in the lead up to 1984 attack against the backdrop of seeking to procure defence contracts.
“We have also maintained that the review undertaken by Sir Jeremy Heywood into the matter was unfinished business and there was a need for a more wide ranging and independent enquiry which the Labour Party committed to in its manifesto prior to the last election and reaffirmed the promise in recent correspondence to Sikh Council UK”, said Jagjit Singh.
“Whilst the recent legal processes are ongoing and could be subject to appeals and further processes we repeat our call to the Government to provide the community with the full truth of what happened during that period of history. Whilst the current Government is not responsible for what may have occurred over 30 years ago it does have an obligation to disclose the truth of the matter”, he added.