Over 25 Indian-origin candidates in fray

Conservatives 13, Labour names 14

Labour Party promises probe into UK’s role in Operation Bluestar

The upcoming June 8 election in the United Kingdom could feature more than 25 candidates who trace their origin to India. The Conservative Party has nominated 13 Indian-origin candidates, down from 17 in the 2015 election, while Labour has named 14, the same as in 2015.Both had five Indian-origin MPs each in the last Parliament.

Sunder Katwala, director of think-tank British Future, told HT: “The 2017 election appears a much more one-sided contest than 2015, when David Cameron’s Conservatives placed emphasis on British Indian voters.

The Labour Party’s manifesto for the June 8 election released was released promising  an independent inquiry into Britain’s role in Operation Bluestar at Amritsar’s Golden Temple in 1984 , when British special forces were allegedly involved.

The manifesto did not specifically mention India but promised to remove international students from overall migration statistics – a major demand of higher education stakeholders, who believe students are not immigrants since most return after completing studies. The controversy over the UK’s role in Operation Bluestar arose when British documents declassified in 2014 led to an inquiry by the cabinet secretary. There have since been demands by UK-based Sikh groups for an independent inquiry, since other documents were allegedly not released.

The cabinet secretary’s inquiry report said military advice was given to the Indira Gandhi government in February 1984 (Operation Bluestar was carried out in June), and that it had a limited impact.