On 4th June 1976, Gurdip Singh Chaggar, a local student was stabbed to death by racists opposite the IWA’s Dominion Cinema and in front of The Victory Pub on The Green Southall, in the heart of the Asian community.
The community particularly young people outraged by racial violence and the lack of response from the police erupted in anger, staging incidents of sporadic civil opposition and protest. Young people also vociferously voiced their anger and criticisms against the established ‘community leaders’.
The IWA leadership acted as chief negotiators with the Police on the release of local young people arrested and taken to Southall Police Station in order to diffuse the situation.
The IWA subsequently led and coordinated meetings to bring together different interests, unify community responses and organised a Unity March in Southall which was attended by thousands of local residents, other sympathisers and anti-racists from across the country.
The murder of Gurdip Chaggar exposed the growing schism between the younger generation of Asians and the ‘old and established guards’ and community ‘leaders’. The IWA leadership recognising the changing community, influenced Balraj Purewal, one of the founder members and General Secretary of Southall Youth Movement, to become involved in the IWA. Balraj Purewal became a member of the IWA Executive Committee from 1983 to 1994, serving as Assistant General Secretary and as General Secretary of IWA.