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Declassified British Secret documents – revelations from November 1984
January 2, 2015 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau
London: Last week newly-released files from the Irish National Archives under the 30-year rule have revealed how Margaret Thatcher in November 1984 was paranoid about British Sikhs.
It is hugely surprising Thatcher would bring up the Sikh question while discussing Irish nationalists, but this reflects her mindset following Indian Government pressure to silence Sikhs in the UK in the wake of the Genocide of Sikhs in June and November 1984.
On Sunday 18 November 1984 British Sikhs wanted to celebrate the birth of the first Sikh Guru by holding a religious in London. However, Margaret Thatcher, Geoffrey Howe and Leon Britton feared Sikhs may use the occasion to raise voices of protest regarding the truth of the November 1984 Sikh Genocide.
The Foreign Secretary, Geoffrey Howe stated in a full Cabinet meeting on 15 November 1984 that if the religious procession took place on 18 November ‘it would create the danger not only of inter-communal violence in the United Kingdom, but of profoundly serious repercussions on relations between the United Kingdom and India including, for example, a possible trade boycott.’ There was no possibility of inter-communal violence; the only worry was trade with India.
The minutes of the Cabinet meeting on 15 November show Geoffrey Howe stated: ‘In view of the importance of the British political and commercial interests at stake, it would be necessary to explore every possibility of preventing the march from taking place.’
Margaret Thatcher, the Prime Minister summed up the discussion by stating: ‘that the Government, faced with the possible consequences of a Sikh march in London, should not remain passive’ and suggested even a postponement of the religious procession ‘offered no satisfactory solution’ implying there should be a ban.
The Cabinet meeting minutes of 22 November 1984 shed more light on Indian Government pressure. Geoffrey Howe stated: ‘the British High Commission in New Delhi had reported continuing threats in Indian governmental circles of a trade boycott in the event of behaviour by the Sikh community in the United Kingdom which the Indians might regard as provocative. This posed a serious risk: export contracts worth £5 billion could be at stake. The march by Sikhs in Central London, which had been due to take place on 18 November, had been banned (by the Home Secretary).’
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Related Topics: 1984 Sikh Genocide, Indian State, Sikh Federation UK, Sikhs in United Kingdom, UK and June 1984 attack on Sikhs
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