Correspondence and campaign files

This series comprises sequences of incoming and outgoing correspondence of the Indian Workers Association, together with material relating to campaigns with which the organisation was involved. This consists of reports; information leaflets and flyers; correspondence; typescript and printed articles; press statements; and press cuttings, and includes material issued by other groups with similar political views to those of the Indian Workers Association, particularly other black and Asian organisations, and white anti-racist groups.

Much of the correspondence and campaign material focuses on the efforts of the Indian Workers Association, often in collaboration with other groups, to oppose racism and racial discrimination in Britain. Dominant themes concern the introduction of immigration legislation by Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government during the 1980s and the threatened deportation of a number of individuals and their families under this legislation. Emphasis is also placed on the issue of Dual Nationality for people of Indian origin who had taken British citizenship as a result of previous immigration legislation and who were now facing difficulties when travelling to India to visit relations. Other papers focus on the Indian Workers Association's support of industrial disputes involving predominantly black and Asian workers during the 1980s, and the issue of racist attacks against members of black and Asian communities in Britain and inadequate police response to these incidents, suggested to be due to institutional racism. There is also material on opposition to the activities of the National Front during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and the British National Party during the early 1990s, and to the revival of fascist political groups in Europe during this period.

Other correspondence and campaign files focus on international campaigns, particularly relating to conflicts in Northern Ireland and Lebanon, and to opposition to perceived US imperialism, seen in the 1991 Gulf war, and the US government's policy on Cuba. There is also substantial material on Indian politics during the 1980s and 1990s, focusing on protests against the repression of political opponents, trade unionists and 'Dalits' or 'untouchables' by Indian governments, and on unrest revolving around the issue of Sikh separatism by militants fighting for the establishment of an independent state of Khalistan. There are also some papers on the international reaction to nuclear tests carried out by India and Pakistan in 1998, and to the political situation in Kashmir, and tensions between the two countries. Some of this material relates to the effects of political changes in India on people of Indian and Pakistani origin living in Britain.

The Indian Workers Association's involvement with cultural events is also documented here. There is information about tours by the Punjabi dramatist Gursharan Singh that were organised by the Association in 1983 and 1995, and about events to mark the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the Indian Workers Association in 1988 and Vaisakhi in 1999.

The series also contains some general correspondence concerning the administration of the Indian Workers Association. Correspondents include individuals; members of political and campaigning organisations in Britain, India and elsewhere; British Members of Parliament; government officials; and Indian diplomats and politicians.

Taken together, the papers in this series reflect the wide-ranging activities and political impact of the Indian Workers Association during the 1980s and 1990s. The files were kept by Avtar Jouhl, presumably in his role as General Secretary or President of the organisation during this period, and it has been possible to maintain original order to some extent. Files have been arranged within the series to list correspondence first, from MS 2142/A/1/4/1 to MS 2142/A/1/4/3, followed by the campaign files from MS 2142/A/1/4/4 to MS 2142/A/1/4/22. Some campaign files also contain correspondence, and there is some printed material within the correspondence files. There may also be some overlap between files, partly because much general correspondence discusses current campaigning activities. Other correspondence and campaign material is described in the 'general files' described at MS 2142/A/1/7