AMRITSAR: Canada-based NGO, Professor Mohan Singh Memorial Foundation, has begun a move to impress upon British government for an official apology for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by handing over a memorandum to Jeremy Corbyn, leader, Labour Party (UK).
While talking to TOI over phone from UK on Saturday, president of Foundation, Sahib Thind informed, “We hope the government of the United Kingdom will agree to join other western nations by addressing the historic injustices, beginning with an official apology in Parliament, for the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919,” adding that Foundation had handed over the memorandum to Corbyn who had also supported the cause.
Foundation had been instrumental in pressurising Canadian government to tender an apology for the Kamagata Maru incident for over two decades following which Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau formally apologised in the House of Commons for the Komagata Maru incident on May 18, 2016.
He said the Foundation had been working with governments worldwide, including in North America, Asia, and Europe to address the matter of official parliamentary apologies for historical wrongs committed by colonial powers and their proxies for over 25 years.
Last year on December 6, the visiting mayor of London Sadiq Khan had asked the British government to tender a full and formal apology for the Jallianwala Bagh pogrom during his visit to the national memorial.
“We are currently working with our associate organisation in the UK to ensure the UK government is able to begin the process for a full and sincere apology for the atrocities committed by the colonial regime in occupied India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka” he said adding that the their foremost concern and significance was an official apology for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre which took place in Amritsar on Vaisakhi Day, April 13, 1919 killing over a thousand peacefully protesting civilians after British Indian army under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer opened fire upon around 2500 men, women and children.
Notably, Jallianwala Bagh Shaheed Parivar Samiti had also demanded from UK government to tender an unconditional apology for the historic wrong. “We have also approached Sahib Thind for the purpose and will continue our drive till it reaches a logical end,” said JBSPS president Mahesh Behal.