Golden Temple in Amritsar: High point of Royal visit

India Urges Change in Royal Visit

He has warned that she risks stirring up further anger over a massacre of more than four-hundred civilians there, during British rule.

The massacre in an enclosed area of Amritsar known as Jallianwala Bagh in 1919 was a turning point in the history of the Raj, and gave strength to the nationalist campaign to oust the British. It remains an emotive issue, particularly for relatives of those who were killed.

Part of the Jallianwala memorial

When it became known that the Queen was likely to visit Amritsar, there were calls for her to go to Jallianwala Bagh itself and publicly apologise for the action of General Reginald Dwyer in ordering that the unarmed crowd of demonstrators should be fired upon.

But the visit to the Sikhs' holier shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar, has been planned as a high point of the Queen's tour in this fiftieth anniversary of India's independence.

Officials on both sides say discussions are still going on. A spokesman for Buckingham Palace told PA News that the itinerary for the state visit had yet to be finalised.

"We will take advice from the Foreign Office," he said. The Queen and the Duke were looking forward to the trip to India and Pakistan, the spokesman added.

Khushwant Singh:

"The massacre was not her fault"

The Foreign Office confirmed no final decisions had been made on the October visit. "Discussions are still ongoing," a Foreign Office spokesman said.

"Amritsar is one of the places under consideration. It was considered because it is one of the main focal points of the country," he said.

Within the Sikh community there is wide support for the views of the Prime Minister. One of the most outspoken Sikh commentators in India, Khushwant Singh, said it was unnecessary for the Queen to go to Amritsar. He said there were people who would try to make political capital out of her tour and try to "rub her nose" in something which was not her fault.

It would be the Queen's third visit to India, but the first to the holy city. She visited India in 1961 and 1983.