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Sir Keir Starmer is dealing with a nine-day deadline to keep away from Labour MPs dealing with a ban from Sikh occasions and gurdwaras.
Lots of of Sikh teams are threatening to “no platform” Labour MPs if the federal government doesn’t announce an inquiry into alleged UK involvement within the Golden Temple massacre, and different “anti-Sikh measures” carried out by India through the Thatcher period, based on a letter seen by Sky Information.
It comes because the Sikh Federation continues to name for the probe – saying it was promised within the run-up to the overall election final yr.
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The calls relate to questions round what half the UK and British particular forces performed within the 1984 killings, through which a whole bunch of Sikhs died after the Indian army entered the temple advanced the place separatists had sought refuge.
Earlier restricted investigations underneath David Cameron discovered a single British officer supplied recommendation to the Indian authorities earlier than the raid – however there was “no proof of UK authorities involvement within the operation itself”.
Writing to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday, the Sikh Federation mentioned it needed a timeline of a judge-led inquiry to be confirmed by 31 July – Friday subsequent week.
The letter was despatched to Downing Avenue forward of a go to from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UK. There have been allegations that Mr Modi’s authorities has tried to stymie the separatist Sikh motion, together with by means of repression within the UK and different international locations like Canada.
The allegations have been denied by the Indian authorities.
The bloodbath came about in 1984. Pic: Reuters
Learn extra:
Sikh groups call on Starmer to launch ‘promised’ inquiry
Sikh group ‘disappointed’ at Labour’s silence on inquiry
‘Urgent’ meeting requested over ‘threats to life’ of UK Sikhs
Starmer’s promise
Sir Keir wrote to all Gurdwaras, Sikh locations of worship, and Sikh organisations in 2022 saying “a future Labour authorities will open an impartial inquiry into Britain’s army position within the Indian military’s 1984 raid on the Golden Temple in Amritsar”.
Angela Rayner posted on social media forward of final yr’s election that “Labour stands with the Sikh group in calling for an inquiry into the historic position Britain performed” within the raid on the Golden Temple.
If the request for an inquiry timeline will not be met by the federal government, the Sikh Federation advised the prime minister it will “subject steering in August on how Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations ought to implement the no platform coverage in Gurdwaras and Sikh occasions that can in observe begin to impression from September onwards”.
This steering would apply to all Labour MPs who don’t publicly help the implementation of an inquiry – together with ministers.
The federation’s letter claims the difficulty was raised with Sir Keir earlier this month by a Labour MP and the prime minister “responded positively”.
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Among the many near 500 signatories to the letter from the Sikh Federation is the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Smethwick, West Midlands, the place Sir Keir was pictured campaigning for the management of the Labour Occasion.
There are considered simply over half 1,000,000 Sikhs within the UK – with evaluation suggestion members of the faith are inclined to help Labour.
Downing Avenue has been approached for remark.
