This year is the 41st anniversary of the Blue Star operation at Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. Operation Blue Star was one of the most controversial military operations of the Indian Army, which ran from 1 to 8 June 1984.
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The operation, which started on the orders of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, was commanded by Lieutenant General K.K. S. Brar was in his hand. The purpose of the operation was to take out Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala sitting in the Golden Temple.
Let us know about this operation and its associated characters, which are said to be responsible for increasing terrorism in Punjab ….
Indira had told why this disputed operation had to be run The separatist movement in Punjab intensified in the early 1980s. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala and armed supporters made the Golden Temple campus their stronghold.
Lieutenant General K.K. S. Brar writes in his book Operation Blue Star: The True Story-“Operation Blue Star was one of the most difficult and sensitive campaigns for the Indian Army. We not only had to deal with terrorists, but also to maintain the dignity of a sacred religious place.”
BBC’s senior journalists Mark Tali and Satish Jacob wrote in his book ‘Amritsar: Mrs. Gandhi Last Battle’- “The government presented Operation Blue Star as a military requirement, but the political complications and decisions behind it were much deeper and complex.”
Bhindranwala emerged after Nirankari confrontation During the tenure of the Akali-Janata Party government in Punjab, a conference of Nirankari Panth was being held in Amritsar on 13 April 1978. During this, there was a clash between Akali workers and Nirankaris. In which 13 Akali workers were killed.
After this, during the Fury Day, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala, the head of the Dharma Prachar Sanstha participated extensively in the protests of Sikhs. Bhindranwala’s popularity increased due to heat -filled speeches over the alleged discrimination against Sikhs.
Leaving the Chowk Mahata Gurdwara with Bhindranwala supporters, Guru Nanak residence in Golden Temple and then started campaigning with the Sikh’s supreme religious organization Akal Takht. In April 1983, DIG AS Atwal was murdered in broad daylight. His body was found near the Golden Temple campus.
How much have you known, till date different claims The exact figure of how many people died in this operation which lasted 10 days, did not reveal the correct figure till date. According to government data, more than 500 people were killed. Non-government sources explained the figure more.
Brar writes that more than 100 soldiers were killed and more than 300 injured. Hundreds of civilians and radical fighters were killed. Many innocent pilgrims were also trapped and killed. Mark Tali and Satish say in their book that about 492 civilians and militants were killed. 83 soldiers of the army were martyred and more than 220 soldiers were injured.
Operation spread outrage among Sikhs, Khushwant Singh returned the honor N.N., Senior Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs Vohra’s committee wrote in the report that this operation caused deep damage to the trust between the Center and the Sikhs. Terrorism again raised heads in Punjab and the law and order situation worsened.
Many Sikhs not only considered it an attack on religious sentiments, but also considered sending army to the Golden Temple to be a violation of purity. Big writers like Khushwant Singh had returned great honors given to him on behalf of the central government.
Sikh bodyguards killed Indira Gandhi In the book ‘India after Gandhi’, Ramchandra Guha wrote-About four months after the operation Blue Star, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was shot dead by his two Sikh bodyguards Beant Singh and Satwant Singh on the morning of 31 October 1984. At the time of the attack, she was going from her Safdarjung Road residence towards the office. Beant Singh fired five bullets while Satwant Singh fired more than 25 rounds from Stangan. The reason for the murder was anger over military action in Golden Temple. Anti -Sikh riots erupted, thousands went to know
Anti -Sikh riots erupted across the country After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, anti -Sikh riots erupted across the country. Especially in Delhi, in which thousands of Sikhs were killed. Shops and houses were burnt, women were tortured. There were also allegations of police and political patronage in many areas. Sanam Sutiratha Wazir’s book ‘The Caurants of 1984’ mentions the dreadful experiences of Sikh women in the 1984 riots.
General AS Vaidya was also murdered According to Ramachandra Goha and Jagdeep Singh Cheema’s ‘The Sikh Spirit Insorgency In India’, General Arun Sridhar Vaidya, who was the Indian Army Chief during Operation Blue Star, started living in Pune after retirement. On 10 August 1986, he was going by his car. Then two bike riders Sukhdev Singh Gill and Harjinder Singh alias Zinda shot him. The murder was stated as a revenge action by the Sikh militants. It was the same Harjinder Singh, who was later convicted in the conspiracy to assassinate Indira Gandhi and hanged in 1992.
After Operation Blue Star, General AS Vaidya (most right) visited the Golden Temple with military officers. After 2 years, Vaidya was murdered by 2 Sikh youths in Pune. SGPC honored the families of these two youths on 10 October 2012.
Big question- Did Bhindranwala never ask for Khalistan Former Law and Justice Minister Subramanian Swamy said in an interview that he got a chance to meet Bhindranwala. He asked why you want Khalistan. Bhindranwala’s answer was, I do not want Khalistan. If they are ready to give, then why should I refuse.
Mark Tuli and Satish Jacob’s book also wrote that Bhindranwala used to say in public that he had not demanded Khalistan. However, Bhindranwala’s language, attitude and actions were such that promoted separatism.
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala addressing the gathering in Akal Takht.
How true the claim … Indira gave it to Bhindranwala Take the lead to Operation Blue Star. General Kuldeep Brar surprised everyone with an interview to a news agency a few years ago. In which it said that Bhindranwala got the instigation of Indira Gandhi and was delayed in stopping it.
In the interview, the atmosphere of Punjab was deteriorating. The demand for Khalistan started arising. Bhindranwala’s status in Punjab started increasing. Bhindranwala was getting full checks of the central government. All was fine till 1980. From 1981 to 84, the law and order situation in Punjab was deteriorating significantly. When Bhindranwala reached the heights, then the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the attack.
After the operation of Operation Blue Star, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala’s body was placed on the Akal Takht for identification.
Army feared that police would support Khalistan General Brar informed that the police was not added to this operation of the army. The army feared that the police would also support Khalistan. So the army had dismissed the police. The border was sealed on the outskirts so that the Pakistan Army would not try to take advantage of it. Input was that as India did in Bangladesh, Pakistan’s Army can do the same in Punjab, India.
