Queen not welcome in Amritsar, says Gujral

The paper’s diplomatic editor, Shyam Bhatia, writes, “No apology would be expected from the Monarch, but her presence at the site would be widely seen as a gesture of reconciliation.” While an “apology” is not an issue with the Indian Government, some people in India and Indian groups in Britain have demanded that the British Government apologise for a massacre in which hundreds of unarmed civilians were killed.

In this context, Gujral said, “We have suggested as a Government to the British a few days back that it would be much better if she (the Queen) doesn’t visit Amritsar, particularly when such issues have been raised.”

The paper said the Prime Minister’s pronouncements had startled the British Foreign Office and now British and Indian officials were working on a compromise under which the Queen would visit the Golden Temple as planned during her State visit in October, but, then would also visit the scene of the massacre, the Jallianwala Bagh, nearby.

The Queen and her consort Prince Philip are undertaking the visit in connection with the golden jubilee celebrations of India’s Independence.The paper said Gujral had shown “indifference” towards the return of the Kohinoor diamond, once the jewel in the crown of Indian Kings and now part of the British Crown jewels.

Gujral told the paper, “India’s wealth does not depend on the Kohinoor. We have several Kohinoors in our treasury — not the stones, but the wealth as such — so I hardly think about such things.”

According to recent reports, the jewel was obtained by the British forces through trickery from the last Sikh ruler, Maharaja Duleep Singh.

Recently some groups in India had been demanding the return of the diamond, the paper said, adding, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also demanded the return of the jewel.

The paper says that Gujral is “acutely aware that both controversies are likely to arise during the royal visit and could strain India’s good relations with Britain.” Commenting on the British foreign policy towards Asian countries, Gujral told the paper that British influence and drive towards the region was waning.

Akalis told to go soft on apology

Union Welfare Minister Balwant Singh Ramoowalia today asked Akalis not to insist on an apology from Queen Elizabeth for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre during her visit to Amritsar.

“The Queen will herself feel ashamed of the acts of British rulers when she visits the Jallianwala Bagh in October,” he told a gathering here.The Minister said the United Front Government would enact a law making it mandatory on the part of State Governments to distribute compensation to the riot-hit within three months.

If any State failed to do that, the victim could claim compensation with interest at the rate of 12.5 per cent per annum, he said.

He said a Bill in this regard would be placed before the Union Cabinet soon.