Dual Nationality and Indian High Commission

This file largely consists of correspondence between members of the Indian Workers Association and officials at the Indian High Commission. A large proportion of the papers deal with issues surrounding dual nationality and the difficulties that people of Indian origin with British passports were facing when they visited India, but there is also some correspondence relating to campaigns by the Indian Workers Association against immigration legislation enacted by the British government, and to discussions between members of the Indian Workers Association and representatives of the Indian government on immigration issues.

/1-/2 correspondence between Avtar Jouhl and the First Secretary Consular, High Commission of India, London concerning a meeting with the Assistant Commissioner at the Birmingham office, attended by members of both Indian Workers Associations (GB) Birmingham branches, Guru Nanak Gudwara in Smethwick, Shoramani Akali Dal UK Birmingham branch and Bharti Bau Jawan Sabaha, May 1978. Avtar Jouhl's letter contains the names of people in the Indian community selected to attest photographs for Indian passports. The reply from the First Secretary Consular discusses the other demands raised at the meeting which concern affadavits for the children applying for passports

/3 copy letter from Avtar Jouhl to Deepak [Mathur] containing a report on a meeting with Mr Desai [the Indian Prime Minister] at the High Commission of India 6 June 1978 at which Avtar Jouhl, on behalf of the Indian Workers Association, asked questions on the release of political 'Naxalite' prisoners in India

/4 letter from the High Commission of India to Teja Sahota inviting representatives from the Indian Workers Association to attend a meeting with members of other prominent Indian organisations to discuss the range of views on the proposed British Nationality legislation, and the rise in racist attacks in some areas of Britain, 12 March 1981

/5 press release issued by Indian organisations including both Indian Workers Associations (GB), the National Association for Asian Youth, the Confederation of Indian Organisations and the Committee on UK Citizenship explaining their reasons for opposing the Nationality Bill, 14 April 1981

/6 invitation addressed to Avtar Jouhl from the High Commission of India to a reception in honour of Shri N. Sanjiva Reddy, 30 July 1981

/7-/8 correspondence between the High Commission of India and Avtar Jouhl relating to an invitation issued to members of the Indian Workers Association to attend a reception in honour of the visit to Britain of the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to inaugurate the Festival of India on 23 March 1982. Avtar Jouhl's reply explains that the Indian Workers Association will not attend the reception because of its opposition to state repression and the banning of industrial action by workers in a number of industries, February 1982

/9-/10 correspondence between Avtar Jouhl and the Assistant High Commissioner of India, Birmingham concerning a request to the Indian government to simplify procedures for name changes of individuals, May-June 1982

/11 copy letter from Avtar Jouhl to the Assistant High Commissioner of India, Birmingham confirming points raised during a meeting between the two concerning the ownership of immovable property in India by people of Indian origin holding British passports, 17 November 1982

/12 letter from the Assistant High Commissioner for India, Birmingham, to Avtar Jouhl responding to his request for an urgent meeting with the High Commission of India authorities at India House, 7 April 1983

/13 advice sheet issued by the Assistant High Commission of India, Birmingham on the subject of Dual Nationality, clarifying some issues by answering frequently asked questions, June 1987

/14 copy letter from Transport and General Workers Union [TGWU] Wolverhampton branch, to the High Commission of India, London, expressing concern about the restrictions placed on Indian citizens living in the UK and travelling to India and requesting that Indian citizens be allowed dual British and Indian citizenship, 19 July 1989

/15 copy letter from both Indian Workers Associations (GB) to the High Commissioner of India thanking him for taking the time to meet their delegation and discussing the problem of visa requirements for British citizens of Indian origin visiting India, 15 September 1989

/16 copy letter from the Indian Workers Association (GB) led by Prem Singh, to V. P. Singh, Prime Minister of India, congratulating him on his election victory and discussing the issue of visa requirements for people of Indian origin travelling to India, the role of the Indian High Commission, and the question of Dual Nationality, 14 December 1989

/17 copy letter from the Indian Workers Association to the Assistant High Commissioner, Birmingham, welcoming the appointment of Kuldip Nayar as High Commissioner of India and requesting a meeting with him to discuss visa requirements, 1990

/18 copy letter from Prem Singh and Teja Sahota, co-ordinating committee of the Indian Workers Associations (GB) to Kudip Nayar, High Commissioner of India, explaining the purpose of their meeting with him and requesting the withdrawal of visa requirements for people of Indian origin travelling to India with British passports, 29 March 1990

/19-/20 two versions of a memorandum on the issue of dual nationality for citizens of India and British citizens of Indian origin, compiled by the Indian Workers Association and sent to the High Commissioner of India, 17 July 1991. The memorandum includes suggestions for ways to overcome the complexities of the issue

/21 photocopy of a handwritten circular letter to Midlands branch presidents and secretaries of the Indian Workers Association giving details about a meeting arranged with the High Commissioner of India at Highbury Hall, Moseley, Birmingham, 6 October 1991

/22 list of points to be taken up at a meeting between members of the Indian Workers Association and the High Commissioner of India 6 October 1991. Most of these points concern issues surrounding Dual Nationality, visa requirements and the treatment of British citizens of Indian origin by Indian officials

/23 letter from the Assistant High Commissioner for India, Birmingham to Avtar Jouhl expressing condolences on the death of Sarwan Singh Cheema and his associates in Punjab, and sending apologies for not being able to personally attend a condolence meeting, 15 November 1991

/24 copy letter from Avtar Jouhl to the Co-ordination Minister, High Commission of India, confirming a request by the Indian Workers Association to meet the Prime Minister or Foreign Minister of India, and mentioning that Prem Singh and Harpal Brar are travelling to India to lobby for Dual Nationality, 26 December 1991

/25 copy letter from Avtar Jouhl to the Co-ordination Minister, High Commission of India, informing him that a conference on 'Black People and 1992' is to be postponed until after the forthcoming General Election, 16 March 1992

/26 copy letter from Avtar Jouhl to the High Commissioner of India expressing the concern of the Indian Workers Association on the killing of Amandeep Kaur, daughter of Jaswant Singh, at Pepli Gurusar, Punjab 21 January 1992, and giving details of an account of her killing given by her uncle, Jaswinder Bahia, who is a member of the Indian Workers Association. There were suggestions that Amandeep had been killed by the Indian police, 24 April 1992.

/27-/31 papers relating to a National Conference on Dual Nationality and the EEC 1992 organised by the Indian Workers Association at the Sikh Leisure Centre, Huddersfield, 10 May 1992. The papers include a conference programme; copy of the welcome address by the conference chairman; and a conference document on Dual Nationality Status for Indians Settled in Euro-American Countries, edited by K. K. Mittal, R.P. Johar, and D.D.Sharma

/32 copy letter from Prem Singh and Avtar Jouhl to Karnail Singh Chatha, Indian Workers Association Huddersfield, stating the position of the Indian Workers Association on the issue of Dual Nationality, and mentioning a forthcoming conference in Derby 20 June 1992

/33-/34 copy letters from Avtar Jouhl to Piara Singh Khabra, Labour MP for Ealing South, and Chander Shekhar, Assistant High Commissioner of India, Birmingham. inviting them to speak at a conference on Dual Nationality and Europe 1992 in Derby, 20 June 1992

/35 letter from Tony Walsh, Derby Race Equality Council, to Avtar Jouhl, accepting an invitation to attend the 1992 and Dual Nationality Conference in Derby, 20 June 1992

/36-/39 papers relating to a conference organised by the Indian Workers Association entitled '1992 and Dual Nationality' held in Derby 20 June 1992, including flyer advertising the event; photocopy of a circular letter to Indian Workers Association members asking them to attend; blank forms in English and Punjabi for a petition demanding dual nationality for citizens of India and British citizens of Indian origin who have lost their citizenship of India acquiring British citizenship from the government of India, presumably circulated at the conference; expenditure bill for the conference

/40 incomplete report entitled 'Case for Dual Nationality' presumably produced by the Indian Workers Association, undated, but probably compiled in 1992

/41 copy letter from Prem Singh and Avtar Jouhl to Harkishan Singh Surjit, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), New Delhi, giving an account of the progress of the Indian Workers Association campaign to gain Dual Nationality for British citizens of Indian origin, and requesting the Communist Party of India (Marxist) to lobby the Indian Prime Minister on this issue, 23 March 1993

/42 press release issued by the Central Executive Committee of the Indian Workers Association protesting against an increase in visa fees announced by the High Commission of India and calling on the Indian government to grant Dual Nationality to British Citizens of Indian origin or Patriality Certificates to exempt them from visa requirements, 1994

/43 list issued by the Assistant High Commission of India, Birmingham, showing revised fees for passport and passport services including the issue of certificates

/44-/45 correspondence between Avtar Jouhl and the Co-ordination Minister, High Commission of India, London, discussing suggestions for the introduction of PIO [Persons of Indian Origin] cards allowing holders special visas for travel to India. Avtar Jouhl's letter gives the Indian Workers Association response to this suggestion, rejecting it in favour of continuing to campaign for the provision of Dual Nationality as the most practical way of resolving problems both in India and the UK, January-February 1994

/46 invitation from the High Commissioner for India to a reception at India House to meet the Honourable Mr Justice Kuldip Singh, Judge of the Supreme Court of India, 2 September 1994

The file also contains newspaper reports and Indian Workers Association press releases in Punjabi about the dual nationality campaign and the increase in passport fees. English summaries are provided