British Sikhs are threatening to “no platform” Labour MPs over the lack of a public inquiry into UK complicity in the 1984 Golden Temple massacre in India, amid warnings “frustrated” Sikh voters could back Reform UK.
More than 450 gurdwaras, charities, associations and university societies have written to Keir Starmer demanding he honour previous promises to fully investigate the affair or risk “massive consequences for the re-election of many Labour MPs”.
The ultimatum coincides with a Trafalgar Square rally on Sunday marking the 41st anniversary of the massacre, in which thousands of people were killed after Indian forces stormed Sikhism’s holiest site in Amritsar to remove the religious leader and militant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, horrifying moderates.
The letter, which is dated 1 June, said the Sikh community was “hugely disappointed there has been a deafening silence” to recent letters. It called for timelines for an inquiry that would investigate “UK involvement in the Indian military operation and anti-Sikh measures in Britain when Margaret Thatcher was in power”.
In 2014, the accidental release of documents revealed her government had full knowledge of India’s plan, Operation Blue Star, with an SAS officer advising beforehand. David Cameron ordered his most senior civil servant to investigate, but his review, which said the British officer’s advice was ignored by the Indian army, disappointed Sikhs. Labour politicians, including Starmer in a 2022 letter, have repeatedly promised an independent inquiry since.
Campaigners, who had hoped an inquiry would be launched before the end of the massacre’s 40th anniversary year, are now warning that Labour MPs face being banned from Sikh temples and events.
“Regrettably, we are today being forced to put the Labour leadership on notice,” the letter added.
“If a judge-led public inquiry is not announced in parliament by the end of July 2025 the Sikh community will implement a ‘no platform’ policy for all Labour MPs from 1 August that are not supporting a judge-led public inquiry … Sikhs are well-respected (and) can build political alliances. Sikhs may need to make it their business to campaign with others locally and nationally to get the wider public to punish Labour for broken promises,” it said.
The Guardian has seen a list of seats nationwide where Sikh Federation UK has identified the “Sikh vote” as “critical”.
Dabinderjit Singh, the NGO’s executive lead, said Labour faced a permanent loss of support from the majority of Sikhs in the UK. The federation believes they are a million-strong – double the figure in the last census – as not everyone records their religion and recent migration is not included.
Meanwhile, concerns have intensified among British Sikhs about India’s treatment of minorities and transnational repression, amid strengthening UK trade ties with the country.
Singh said talks were under way with the Liberal Democrats, Reform and the Scottish National party about support for an inquiry. He said every Labour MP would be written to, adding: “There are 105 [seats] we’re monitoring where the Sikh vote will matter, including Ilford North, Ilford South, Wolverhampton seats, Birmingham seats, Derby seats.
“Labour announced the [Pat Finucane] inquiry in September … don’t tell us, when there were thousands of people killed in 1984, that our lives matter less.”
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Singh said: “Following the 1 May [local and mayoral] elections … some people are saying Sikhs are going to start to vote Reform. I think it’s the frustration. Lots of people just get so frustrated with politicians making promises and then doing the exact opposite, on a range of issues.
“That’s the bigger danger – that people therefore look for something different, independent candidates, Reform candidates, Green candidates.”
Singh said while he struggled personally with Reform’s policies, he added: “I’ve met Nigel Farage before, and Ukip, as it was then, were greatly supportive on Sikh issues … for their own reasons. I can see things getting really divisive.”
Two British Sikh candidates ran for Reform in 2024’s general election in London. Meanwhile Rajbir Singh, a former Labour leader of Sandwell council in the West Midlands, defected to Reform in April.
Approached for comment, the Foreign Office pointed to comments made in January by the leader of the Commons, Lucy Powell, who, when asked when an independent inquiry would be initiated, 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.”
