Has The Britsh Government Of That Time, Anthing To Do With Today's Tory Government?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/government-faces-backlash-by-britains-430000-sikh-voters-over-amritsar-massacre-9107672.html

So it is suggested that the advice of one military expert may cost the Tories the Sikh vote.

Does that mean that Labour don't stand a chance regarding the Muslim vote, taking into consideration their involvement in Iraq and later Afghanistan?

[sandyRoe]

I thought it was General Dyer's massacre you were posting about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jallianwala_Bagh_massacre

[Zeuhl]

The Iraqi vote and Afghani vote may be split regarding Labour.

Probably depends on whether any of their family were killed by our bombing or saved from the Taliban.

[anotheoldgit]

No Sandy, but funny enough that took place under a 'Liberal' government.

[Zeuhl]

Perhaps if our Labour government had assisted in an attack on Mecca there would be a parallel

[FredPuli43]

Rather depends on how many Sikhs identify with the Sikh extremists who took over the place in the cause of Sikh nationalism. Not many, I would have thought.

[youngmafbog]

People vote for different parties for all sorts of reasons and often on a single issue or won't vote for a party because of a single issue (even if that issue happened many years ago).

Many are not as knowledgeable(or interested) as some of those on AB!

[Zeuhl]

I think many Sikhs who don't identify with the extremists are still upset that their presence there was used as an excuse by the Indian authorities to pulverise their holiest shrine into ruins.

[mushroom25]

as reported on "midlands today" yesterday, the loss of life is but a side show. that the government has been seen to be involved in an assault on the Sikh religion's holiest place is the issue for Sikh voters in the uk.

[FredPuli43]

So, in the end, the Sikhs' complaint is against Mrs Gandhi, who ordered the action. Even if we had advised it, not that we did, she had no need to follow the advice.

[Gromit]

// may cost the Tories the Sikh vote. //

There isn't one collective vote, just as there isn't one muslim vote.

Plenty of Sikhs vote Labour. And plenty of Muslims vote Conservative.

All this does is give a Sikh a reason not to vote Conservative. It does not mean they will, they may decide present concerns justify them voting for Dave.

[sandyRoe]

What shade of government was in office when the play about domestic abuse in Sikh homes was allowed to be staged? That the government of the day didn't move to have it banned must have alienated lots of potential voters.