Balwinder Singh Rana arrived in the UK in 1963 at the age of 16, following in the footsteps of his father and older brothers. Hailing from a small village in Punjab, he came from a relatively well-off family with a notable background. His father, a former army major in the Indian Army under British rule, had fought in the Second World War in Burma.
When Balwinder first stepped off the plane, everything was unfamiliar to the young boy who had never seen white or Black people. Even more startling was the sight of his father at the airport. Recalling his initial reaction, Balwinder said, “At first, I didn’t recognise him. Over the years, he had become a completely different person. He had shaved his beard, removed his turban, and cut his hair because he couldn’t get a job with his beard and turban. My father had been a strong man who, in his younger days in the 1920s, was a champion sprinter in Punjab. But now, he was half his size, shrunken into himself. I thought, 'He looks like my father, but I’m not sure if he is.'"
At that time, his father lived in Hayes, working at a medical store while saving up to buy a factory in Gravesend. Although the plan was to return to India after saving money, Balwinder's father felt guilty about uprooting his children from their homeland. “His ambition was for all four of us to work hard, save a lot of money in five years, and then return to India,” Balwinder shared.
First Encounter with Racism and Fighting Back
Balwinder’s first encounter with racism came when he tried to find employment. He was denied entry to a factory and was told outright, "Your people are not allowed to cross the barrier." Undeterred, Balwinder shared the incident with his brother, who advised him not to take it to heart, as such discrimination was common. Balwinder also recalled a confrontation with a white employer who arrogantly referred to him as “black boy,” leading to a physical altercation.
In the late 1960s, significant events unfolded, including Enoch Powell's infamous speech, which stoked racial tensions across the UK. Although the speech sparked widespread debate and condemnation, Balwinder did not experience overt racism during that period. However, as Powell’s rhetoric gained political traction and the National Front launched a massive campaign against migrants, racial violence began to spread across the country.
These events galvanised Balwinder to form the Indian Youth Federation, believed to be the country’s first Asian youth movement. Their first action was to confront a local pub known for its discriminatory behavior. “The pub was initially quiet, with only a few patrons present. When we arrived, the staff were visibly shocked and frightened. They were not used to such direct confrontation. I remained polite, asking for 50 pints of lager, and made it clear that we were standing up for ourselves in a non-violent way,” Balwinder recounted.
Seeing the impact of their collective action, Balwinder reflected, “The pub staff were visibly intimidated, like frightened chickens, and responded nervously. As I turned around to look at the faces of the 50 youths who had joined us, I saw expressions of immense satisfaction and pride. It was a rare and memorable moment, witnessing the power of unity and solidarity firsthand. They were thrilled, giving thumbs up and patting me on the back, experiencing real empowerment for the first time.”
The Southall riots and rising racism
The economic crisis of 1967 hit immigrants particularly hard, as white workers began blaming them for their troubles, leading to increased attacks on their communities. Balwinder recalls that the crisis of 1974 was even worse. The Labour government’s austerity measures exacerbated the economic downturn, leading to massive unemployment and a resurgence of racism.
The National Front gained significant traction during this period, organising large marches targeting Black and Asian areas. Racist violence, including murders and street attacks, became more prevalent, with authorities often failing to take action.The escalating violence in places like Southall acted as a catalyst for the formation of the Asian Youth Movement, which emerged in response to these threats. In 1978, the situation reached a boiling point when fascists rampaged through Brick Lane, smashing shop windows and terrorising the Muslim and Bengali communities. All this time, Balwant would see himself actively involved in the action and even left a high paying job to continue supporting his fellow activists.
He also recalled an incident from 1979, when the National Front announced they would hold a rally in Southall in early April, and the Tory council granted them permission. This act, meant to be a provocative gesture, had the Asian Youth Movement taking strong action with Balwinder and Vishnu Sharma from IWC at the forefront. Sharing an account of one of the events from the time with Asian Voice, he shared , “A week before April 23rd, Vishnu Sharma, myself, and another national leader of the Engineers went to Scotland Yard to meet with the Police Commissioner. Unfortunately, he refused to see us, and we were only able to meet with a junior officer.
“During our meeting, he told us one thing: if we wanted to keep our people safe, we should advise them to stay at home. I told him, ‘Look, we are not going to stay at home. Our community is in Southall, and they are coming from outside. If you want to prevent anything from happening on April 23rd, you need to stop them from coming to Southall.’ He responded by saying, ‘The law is the law.’”
It seemed like the police wasn’t on their side either and the violence grew worse over the years, with peaceful protests being harassed, unjust arrests and killings. Many of these times, the community had to fight a battle with the police along with fighting the fascists. Things eventually settled down and it can be considered that the efforts and sacrifices of activists like Balwinder bore fruit. The community that Southall, also known as Little India represents today stands as a testament to this.
Reflecting on those turbulent times, Balwinder shared, “Today, some individuals may downplay the historical significance of these events, suggesting that such fears are exaggerated or irrelevant. However, we experienced genuine fear at the time.”
