Sadiq Khan today called on the Government to make an official apology for the 1919 Amritsar Massacre massacre by British troops
Sadiq Khan today called on the Government to make an official apology for the 1919 Amritsar Massacre by British troops.
The London Mayor, who is on his fourth day of a visit to India today, said it was ‘shameful’ successive Government had failed to apologise for the killings at Jallianwala Bagh.
On April 13, 1919, British Indian Army troops fired machine guns into a crowd of unarmed protesters, most of whom were Sikhs gathered for the annual Baisakhi celebrations.
At least 379 people were killed, according to an official inquiry, but the findings are deeply contest.
David Cameron visited the site in 2013 and admitted it was a ‘deeply shameful event’ in British history but stopped short of an official apology.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge missed the area during an extensive visit to India in 2016.
After laying a wreath today, Mr Khan said: ‘It is one of the most horrific events in Indian history and it is shameful that successive British Governments have fallen short of delivering a formal apology almost 100 years on.’
He added on Twitter: ‘Today I visited the Jallianwala Bagh memorial and gardens and paid my respects to all those who lost their lives in the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre of 13 April 1919.
‘I’m calling on the UK Government to make a full and formal apology for the massacre.’
The London Mayor (pictured signing a book of remembrance at the site today) said it was ‘shameful’ successive Government had failed to apologise for the killings at Jallianwala Bagh
David Cameron visited the site in 2013 (pictured) and admitted it was a ‘deeply shameful event’ in British history but stopped short of an official apology
Earlier in the day, Sadiq visited the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the most important pilgrimage site of the Sikh faith, and met with volunteers preparing food for the local community.
He took the opportunity to reaffirm his commitment to create a war memorial in central London to honour the Sikh servicemen and women who fought alongside British troops in the First and Second World Wars.
Mr Khan added: ‘Britain and the world owe a huge debt to the Sikh servicemen and women who fought alongside British troops during the First and Second World Wars.’
‘These brave individuals sacrificed an enormous amount to defend the freedoms that we enjoy today and it is only right that there is a memorial in our capital city to honour the Sikhs who fought to preserve our freedoms.’
The London Mayor is on the fourth day a week-long visit to India. He visited the Akshardham Temple in Delhi yesterday (pictured)
Mr Khan visited Akshardham to mark links with the same sect of Hinduism who built the temple in Neasden, north west London
In February 2013 Mr Cameron became the first serving Prime Minster to visit the site.
He laid a wreath at the memorial and described the Amritsar massacre as ‘a deeply shameful event in British history’.
Mr Cameron said the massacre was ‘one that Winston Churchill rightly described at that time as monstrous’ and added: ‘We must never forget what happened here and we must ensure that the UK stands up for.’
Mr Cameron angered commentators by stopping short of an official apology.
On a state visit to India in 1997, the Queen expressed regret over the massacre but also stopped short of issuing an official apology.
Mr Khan spoke to pupils at the Maharaja Agarsain Public School in New Delhi yesterday as part of his tour
Mr Khan’s appearance was at an air quality exchange project between London, Delhi and Nairobi schools, for students to learn about their environment