A Sikh group has been left “disappointed” after Labour failed to open an inquiry into potential links between the UK and deaths of hundreds of Sikhs at the Golden Temple in India in 1984.
In a letter seen by Sky News, the Sikh Federation told Foreign Secretary David Lammy they had written to him five times since Labour took office and had not received any replies.
Sir Keir Starmer wrote a letter to Sikhs in 2022 promising a Labour government would “open an independent inquiry into Britain’s military role in the Indian army’s 1984 raid on the Golden Temple in Amritsar”.
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In 1984, momentum was building for a separate Sikh state to be established – with events eventually turning violent.
This armed insurgency was met by a severe government crackdown.
In 2014, the UK government accidentally revealed they may have been linked to the Golden Temple raid.
Operation Blue Star
In June 1984, Operation Blue Star saw Indian forces storm the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine in Amritsar, where separatists had taken refuge.
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale – a Sikh leader and violent revolutionary and key advocate for a Sikh state – was among the hundreds killed. Sikh groups argue the true number of dead was in the thousands.
Months later, prime minister Indira Gandhi, who had ordered the raid on the temple, was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in an act of revenge.
In 2014, documents accidentally released by the British government showed Margaret Thatcher was aware of the Indian state’s intention to raid the temple and in the months before the raid, a British SAS officer provided advice to the Indian government.
Then prime minister David Cameron asked civil servant Jeremy Heywood to conduct an investigation.
Mr Cameron later said: “Around four months before the event, at the request of the Indian government, a single UK military officer provided some advice. But critically this advice was not followed, and it was a one-off.”
He added: “There is absolutely no evidence of UK government involvement in the operation itself.”
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‘Cover up’ accusation
The Sikh Federation previously accused the government of a “cover up” and has been calling for a judge-led inquiry.
In Friday’s letter to David Lammy, the Sikh Federation’s lead executive Dabinderjit Singh said “Labour has now been in power for over 6 months and there has been total silence” on the inquiry “promised by Labour for the last 10 years”.
He also pointed out that despite the five letters already sent to Mr Lammy, they have “not even had a holding reply” about the consideration of an inquiry, as guidelines state they should receive.
The letter was sent after Labour MP Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, who is chair of the defence select committee, also called for an inquiry.
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Lucy Powell, the Labour leader of the House of Commons, said: “We need to get to the bottom of what happened, and I will ensure that the Ministers responsible are in touch with him to discuss the matter further.”
Sky News has approached the Foreign Office for comment.
