Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal is likely to bring an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha on Thursday over UK report on Operation Bluestar.
A major controversy has erupted after it was revealed that the British had assisted India in the launch of Operation Bluestar in 1984.
An analysis of nearly 200 files and 23,000 documents has confirmed that a "single British military adviser" travelled to India between February 8 and 19, 1984, to advice Indian intelligence services on contingency plans that they were drawing up for operations against the armed dissidents in the temple complex, including ground reconnaissance of the site, as per PTI news report.
However, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Tuesday that British role in the operation to flush out militants from the Golden Temple was "purely advisory and limited" and had limited impact.
While addressing the British Parliament, Hague said that Britain did advise India on planning a deadly attack against Sikh separatists in the Golden Temple at Amritsar, but suggestion had limited impact.
In a statement on the conclusion of an inquiry into alleged British assistance provided by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Hague said, as quoted by Reuters, "The report concludes that the nature of the UK`s assistance was purely advisory, limited and provided to the Indian government at an early stage in their planning."
On the other hand, British Prime Minister David Cameron has asserted that there was "absolutely no" involvement of the Margaret Thatcher Government in the 1984 Operation Bluestar by the Indian army to flush out militants from the Golden Temple.
"There is absolutely no evidence of UK Government involvement in the operation itself. This conclusion has been made after a thorough search of some 200 files and over 23,000 documents," he told the UK Sikh community in a video message after an inquiry report was submitted to the House of Commons.
Reacting on the matter, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal yesterday sought an unconditional apology from the British government for what he said "secretly assisting" India in the launch of Operation Bluestar. Both the then governments were equally guilty of the "unpardonable act of attacking the most revered Sikh shrine, the Golden Temple", he said.
Meanwhile, yesterday, SAD members were on their feet, targeting Congress on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in the wake of renewed controversy on the issue following a television interview by Rahul Gandhi.
Carrying placards and shouting slogans, they wanted day-to-day trial of pending cases against Congress leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler.
With PTI inputs
