31 Years Later, Here's How Operation

Blue Star Changed The History Of India!

Article link : http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/31-years-later-heres-howoperation-blue-star-changed-the-history-of-india-233354.html
Article by Mugdha Kapoor
Comments by Harpreet Singh
Though I agree with title of the article How Operation Blue Star Changed The
History Of India but as I proceeded to read it I did not find the article describing how
actually operation Bluestar changed history of India.
India's most 'infamous' incident Operation Blue Star was a military operation that was ordered by
then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, to eliminate Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other Sikh
militants who were amassing weapons in the Harmandir Sahib Complex (the Golden Temple) in
Amritsar. Bhindranwale's plan was to take control over The Golden Temple.
To stem a rapidly deteriorating situation, the government of the time launched a military offensive
which has since then had a significant impact on the country that we live in.
#The root of the movement can be traced to the Khalistan Movement which started in the early
1940s and 50s. there was no movement for Khalistan in 1940s and 1950s It was a political Sikh
separatist movement that wanted a separate state for the Sikhs I think straight away jumping to the
conclusion of separatist state it would do good to high light the major demands of Sikhs in Anandpur
sahib resolution and then see if it had any seeds of separatist movement ( link :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anandpur_Resolution ) . The movement was at its peak in the 1970s
and 1980s.
# Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, leader of the Damdami Taksal, was an important leader and primary
provocation which led to Operation Blue Star. During the time, Bhindranwale influenced several Sikh
youth in Punjab to join the movement for Khalistan. He and Khalistan supporters occupied the Akal
Takhat complex, including the Golden Temple, in Amritsar.
# The operation was carried out by Indian Army, using tanks, artillery, helicopters and armoured
vehicles. The main motive was to eliminate Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, along with other Sikh
militants and regain control over the Harmandir Sahib complex. The advertised motive was the same
as quoted by you but real motive was not this and this motive does not explain why scores of other
gurudwaras were also attacked on same day.The real motive was to wreck the Sikh psyche so that
they do not dare to oppose the Indira Gandhi as they did during the emergency and also to portray
Indira Gandhi as saviour of nation and ensure massive victory for her in coming elections

#The operation consisted of two components- Operation Metal, which was confined to the
Harmandir Sahib complex, and Operation Shop, that raided the countryside to apprehend suspects.
Following it, Operation Woodrose was launched in the countryside where Sikhs carrying a kirpan and

Formatted: Highlight

protesting were targetted. More detailing required as in this operation woodrose any sikh youngster
wearing the small kirpan part of 5 kakaars was rounded off and killed in false encounter and it lasted
for 10 years from 1984 to 1995.
#Lt. Gen. Kuldip Singh Brar had the command of the operation. However, it is not common
knowledge that that General Officer in Commanding SK Sinha who had advised against launching the
operation was sacked after his advice didn't go down too well with the govt at that time. Nice that
you highlighted this fact but SK Sinha was not General Officer in Commanding but Vice Chief of
Army Staff and was expected to head Indian Army when he was superseded ( due to his

decision of not attacking Golden Temple) and Lt.-Gen. A. S. Vaidya, the GOC-in-C Eastern Command
was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff
# On June 1, the Army first entered and started firing at the Guru Ram Das Langar building inside
the temple.

A fortication used in Operation Blue Star on the sides of the parikrama abutting the Dukh-Bhanjani
Beri (tree) that covers the entrance to Shri Harmandir Sahib | The Hindu
# On June 2, seven divisions of army were deployed in Punjab. Media faced a blackout and
transportation suffered majorly. International border from Kashmir to Ganga Nagar, Rajasthan was
sealed.
# On June 3, Punjab faced absolute curfew. All routes of ingress and exists of the complex were
sealed.

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# On June 4, army bombarded the historic Ramgarhia Bunga, the water tank, and other fortified
positions. Hundreds and thousands of Sikhs were killed. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, ex-SGPC head, was
appointed to negotiate with Bindrawale, but it failed.

Indian Army troops patrol the area around the Golden Temple | BCCL
# On June 5, a frontal attack was launched on the Akal Takht. The 9th division that launched the
attack was unable to secure the building. Hotel Temple View and Brahm Boota Akhara were
attacked.
# On June 6, army used tanks to shell Akal Takhat and neutralise militants capturing the Golden
Temple. Although the structure suffered damage, it stood tall.

India Today
# On June 7, The army gained effective control of the Harmandir Sahib complex.
# Four months later, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards,
Satwant Singh and Beant Singh. 33 rounds of bullets were fired on here. The assassination was an
outcome of Operation Blue Star. Here again you have failed to high light the gory details of the
attack and have choosen to give a passing reference to what actually happened. It needs to be
highlighted that attack was carried out on 3rd June when Sikhs celebrate the martyrdom of their 5th
Guru and gather in large numbers in Golden Temple( Harmandir Sahib) and most of the victims killed

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in operation Bluestar were these innocents who had come to pay homage on the occasion of the
martyrdom day of 5th Guru they had no relation to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwales movement.

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DNA
# 1984 Sikh riots were a series of pogroms directed against Sikhs in the country. The massacre
continued from October 31 to November 3. Reportedly 2100 - Sikhs died in Delhi alone, 2800 nationwide. Figures quoted are grossly low when PM Manmohan Singh accepted 4000 people were
killed in parliament in his speech on 12th Aug 2005 ( link : http://bit.ly/1KTuL2G )

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A Sikh boy burnt alive | sikhsangat.org

31 years have gone by, the 1984 riot victims and families still wait for justice. ( thanks for including
this line)

Further reading :
1. What were reasons that led to Operation Blue star :http://www.quora.com/What-was-thereason-behind-operation-blue-star/answer/Harpreet-Singh-24
2. Pictorial description of the 6 days of operation Bluestar ( with brief description under each
pic ) :
https://www.facebook.com/harprit.gr8/media_set?set=a.10206030904946243.1073741838
.1069885668&type=3