Inquiry into UK’s role in 1984 Golden Temple massacre ‘under consideration’

An inquiry into the UK’s military role in the 1984 Golden Temple massacre is “under consideration”, Sky News has been told.

Secret documents released in 2014 revealed that the Margaret Thatcher-led government at the time sent a SAS officer to help guide the Indian government with the attack, which killed hundreds of civilians.

Since then, the Sikh community has been demanding full transparency on the affair, especially as many files remain classified.

The most high-profile Sikh MP, Tan Dhesi, told Sky News he has had conversations “with ministers and others in Number 10” who said an inquiry is “under consideration”.

Mr Dhesi, who is also the Labour chair of the influential House of Commons Defence Committee, said: “My message to the government is that it’s about time that the Sikh community got their truth and transparency.

“That can only come about through an inquiry to establish the extent of the Thatcher-led government’s involvement.”

Operation Blue Star in June 1984 saw Indian forces storm the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine in Amritsar, where armed separatists who sought the creation of an independent Sikh homeland had taken refuge.

Thousands gathered in central London on Sunday to implore Labour’s leadership to honour their commitment to hold an independent public inquiry into potential British involvement in the Golden Temple massacre.

While in opposition, Labour made multiple promises to hold an independent inquiry, including:

• In their 2017 and 2019 manifestos.
• A letter addressed to the Sikh community from Sir Keir Starmer as the Leader of the Opposition in 2022, which stated: “A future Labour government will open an independent inquiry into Britain’s military role in the Indian army’s 1984 raid on the Golden Temple in Amritsar.”
• A social media post from the now Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, a month before last year’s general election, which said: “Labour stands with the Sikh community in calling for an inquiry into the historic role Britain played.”

Almost 11 months into Labour’s time in power, there has not been any official government update on this matter.

Sky News approached the Foreign Office for comment, who pointed us to a January 2025 exchange in the House between Mr Dhesi and the Leader of the House, Lucy Powell, who said: “I know that this matter is of great importance to the Sikh community across the UK. We need to get to the bottom of what happened, and I will ensure that the ministers responsible are in touch with him [Mr Dhesi] to discuss the matter further.”

Earlier this year, more than 400 Sikh groups wrote to the prime minister, urging Sir Keir to launch an inquiry as he promised.

Speaking at Sunday’s rally in central London, Dabinderjit Singh OBE, the lead executive for political engagement at the Sikh Federation (UK), said: “It is totally unacceptable that the Labour leadership remains silent on its promise.

“A judge-led public inquiry must take place so we have the full truth. If Labour breaks its promise, it will be an act of betrayal.

“Labour will lose much of the Sikh vote if they let us down.”

The Conservative-led government under Prime Minister David Cameron conducted an internal review in 2014, which concluded that the UK’s role was “purely advisory” and “limited”, involving a single military adviser providing early-stage planning advice to Indian authorities.

However, this investigation was criticised as a cover-up due to its limited scope and quick timeframe.

The Indian government’s official position is that Operation Blue Star was a military operation carried out against armed militants, not the Sikh community.

Despite multiple promises from Labour leadership for an inquiry, Sky News understands government advisers are now considering the potential diplomatic implications such an inquiry could have, especially considering the close ties between India and the UK.