Jallianwala Bagh apology from UK ‘work in progress’
Wednesday, 26/06/2019
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
LONDON: The Theresa May government confined itself to expressing ‘deep regret’ in April for the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre, but senior British functionaries say the issue is a ‘work in progress’ and may happen before the end of the centenary year.
It will be for the new UK prime minister to decide and the right place to tender it in Amritsar, an individual closely associated with the ‘work in progress’ said. The new prime minister is to be revealed after the ongoing Conservative leader election on July 23.
“It (the apology) may still happen, the centenary year is not over yet,” another functionary said.
On Monday, the issue of apology was forcefully raised again by the Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) of the House of Commons, saying there is “little excuse” for failing to tender it. Its major report on India-UK ties calls for steps to ensure that the past does not act unduly as a constraint on present-day ties.
“The lack of clarity around the decision is particularly unhelpful. The government missed an important symbolic opportunity by failing to issue a full apology on the 100th anniversary of the crime, and should rectify this without delay,” the report says.
May expressed ‘deep regret’ in the House of Commons for the massacre on April 10, calling it a ‘shameful scar’ on British Indian history. Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the opposition, joined many in calling for a “full, clear and unequivocal apology”.
