Operation Blue Star (Punjabi: ਬਲੂ ਸਟਾਰ, Hindi: ब्ल्यू स्टार (blyū sṭār)) 3–6 June 1984 was an Indian military operation, ordered by Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India,[6] to remove Sikh separatists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The separatists, led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, were suspected of amassing weapons in the Sikh temple and accused of starting a major armed uprising. [7]
The operation had two components - --Operation Metal-- confined to Golden Temple complex and --Operation Shop-- to raid the countryside all over the Punjab to capture any suspects. [8]. Following it, a complementary operation was launched code-named: Operation Woodrose for thoroughly scanning the Punjab countryside to round up any suspects.
The operation was carried out by Indian army troops with tanks and armoured vehicles.[9] Militarily successful, the operation aroused immense controversy, and the government's justification for the timing and style of the attack are highly debated.[10] Operation Blue Star was included in the Top 10 Political Disgraces by India Today magazine.[11]
Actual figures given by Kuldeep Singh Brar put the number of deaths among the Indian army at 83 and injuries at 220.[1] According to the official estimate, 492 civilians were killed, though some independent claims run as high as 1500.[12][13] In addition, the CBI is considered responsible for seizing historical artifacts and manuscripts in the Sikh Reference Library before burning it down.[14]
The military action led to an uproar amongst Sikhs worldwide and the increased tension following the action led to assaults on members of the Sikh community within India. Many Sikh soldiers in the Indian army mutinied, many Sikhs resigned from armed and civil administrative office and a few returned awards and honors they had received from the Indian government.[15] Four months after the operation, on 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in what is viewed as an act of vengeance. Following her assassination, more than 5000 Sikhs were killed in anti-Sikh pogroms.[16] Within the Sikh community itself, Operation Blue Star has taken on considerable historical significance and is often compared to what Sikhs call 'the great massacre' by the Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Durrani, the Sikh holocaust of 1762.
On 3 June, a 36-hour curfew was imposed on the state of Punjab with all methods of communication and public travel suspended.[20] Electricity supplies were also interrupted, creating a total blackout and cutting off the state from the rest of India and the world.[21] Complete censorship was enforced on the news media.[21]
The Indian Army stormed the Golden Temple on the night of 5 June under the command of Kuldip Singh Brar. The forces had full control of the Golden Temple by the morning of 7 June. There were casualties among the army, civilians, and militants. Sikh leaders Bhindranwale and Shabeg Singh were killed in the operation.[22]
Operation Blue Star coincided with a Sikh annual event, i.e. martyrdom day of Guru Arjan. Pilgrims, including the elderly and children, were trapped inside the temple when the operation began and many were wounded and killed as a result.[22]
In 1982, Bhindranwale and approximately 200 armed followers moved into a guest-house called the Guru Nanak Niwas, in the precinct of the Golden Temple.[27] From here he met and was interviewed by international television crews.[27]
On 23 April 1983, the Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General A. S. Atwal was shot dead as he left the Golden Temple compound. The following day, after the murder, Harchand Singh Longowal (then president of Shiromani Akali Dal) hinted at the involvement of Bhindranwale in the murder.[28]
On 15 December 1983, Bhindranwale was forced to move out of Guru Nanak Niwas house by members of the Babbar Khalsa who acted with Harcharan Singh Longowal's support Longowal by now feared for his own safety. By 1983, the Golden Temple became a fort for a large number of militants.[29]
The Golden Temple compound and some of the surrounding houses were fortified. The Statesman reported on 4 July that light machine-guns and semi-automatic rifles were known to have been brought into the compound.[30] Faced with imminent army action and with the foremost Sikh political organisation, Shiromani Akali Dal (headed by Harchand Singh Longowal), abandoning him, Bhindranwale declared "This bird is alone. There are many hunters after it".[31]
Time magazine reported (about Amritsar) that:[32]
To fight the army, nearly fifty thousand Sikhs gathered in the Golewal village about 25 km from Amritsar, thirty thousand converged from the side of Batala in Gurdaspur district, about twenty thousand Sikhs gathered at Chauk Mehta the headquarters of Damdami Taksal, another formation of about twenty thousand were marching from the side of Harik patan at confluence of rivers Sutlej and Beas.
The Army helicopters spotted massive movements. General K. Sunderji sends tanks and APCs. Hundreds/thousands of Sikhs are killed at the rendezvous.[33]
The firing stops for a while, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, former head of SGPC sent to negotiate with Bindrawale however is unsuccessful and returns. The Firing resumes.
A second collective attempt by the Guards and the Commandos manages to reach the pavement around the pool; however it comes under heavy fire from all around. The crawling was impossible as General Shabeg Singh had placed LMGs nine-ten inches above the ground. This attempt caused many casualties among the Indian troops.
A third attempt was made 200 each the Commandos and the Guards to certain success.
On the southern side, The Madras and Garhwal battalions were not able to make it to the pavement around the pool. They were engaged by defender's position on the southern side.
Even after having been reported high casualties, General Sunderji orders fourth assault by the Commandos. The Madras battalion is reinforced with two more companies of the 7th Garhwal Rifles under the command of General K S Brar. However, the Madras and Garhwal troops once again fail to report any successful movement towards the parikarma (pavement aroung the pool) under Brigadier A K Diwan.
Brigadier Diwan reports heavy casualties and requests for another reinforcement. General Brar sends two companies of 15 Kumaon Regiment. Brigadier Diwan reports again heavy casualties and asks for tank support. Brar requests General Sunderji for tank support after an APC was destroyed by a rocket fired by a Sikh militant. His request was granted and seven tanks rolled into the Golden Temple complex.
By 05h00 June 6, the shelling achieved its objective and the primary target of destroying the Akal Takhat. However, the secondary objective of removing militants from other neighboring structures went on for a further 24 hours.
The Toshakhana, treasure house, of the Golden Temple was systematically looted. [34]
The operation had two components - --Operation Metal-- confined to Golden Temple complex and --Operation Shop-- to raid the countryside all over the Punjab to capture any suspects. [8]. Following it, a complementary operation was launched code-named: Operation Woodrose for thoroughly scanning the Punjab countryside to round up any suspects.
The operation was carried out by Indian army troops with tanks and armoured vehicles.[9] Militarily successful, the operation aroused immense controversy, and the government's justification for the timing and style of the attack are highly debated.[10] Operation Blue Star was included in the Top 10 Political Disgraces by India Today magazine.[11]
Actual figures given by Kuldeep Singh Brar put the number of deaths among the Indian army at 83 and injuries at 220.[1] According to the official estimate, 492 civilians were killed, though some independent claims run as high as 1500.[12][13] In addition, the CBI is considered responsible for seizing historical artifacts and manuscripts in the Sikh Reference Library before burning it down.[14]
The military action led to an uproar amongst Sikhs worldwide and the increased tension following the action led to assaults on members of the Sikh community within India. Many Sikh soldiers in the Indian army mutinied, many Sikhs resigned from armed and civil administrative office and a few returned awards and honors they had received from the Indian government.[15] Four months after the operation, on 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in what is viewed as an act of vengeance. Following her assassination, more than 5000 Sikhs were killed in anti-Sikh pogroms.[16] Within the Sikh community itself, Operation Blue Star has taken on considerable historical significance and is often compared to what Sikhs call 'the great massacre' by the Afghan invader Ahmad Shah Durrani, the Sikh holocaust of 1762.
The Operation
Indira Gandhi first asked Lt. Gen. S. K. Sinha, then Vice-Chief of Indian Army and who was to succeed as the Army chief, to prepare a position paper for assault on the Golden Temple.[19] Lt. Gen. Sinha advised against any such move, given its sacrilegious nature according to Sikh tradition. He suggested the government adopt an alternative solution. A controversial decision was made to replace him with General Arun Shridhar Vaidya as the Chief of the Indian army. General Vaidya, assisted by Lt. Gen. K Sundarji as Vice-Chief, planned and coordinated Operation Blue Star.[19]
On 3 June, a 36-hour curfew was imposed on the state of Punjab with all methods of communication and public travel suspended.[20] Electricity supplies were also interrupted, creating a total blackout and cutting off the state from the rest of India and the world.[21] Complete censorship was enforced on the news media.[21]
The Indian Army stormed the Golden Temple on the night of 5 June under the command of Kuldip Singh Brar. The forces had full control of the Golden Temple by the morning of 7 June. There were casualties among the army, civilians, and militants. Sikh leaders Bhindranwale and Shabeg Singh were killed in the operation.[22]
Operation Blue Star coincided with a Sikh annual event, i.e. martyrdom day of Guru Arjan. Pilgrims, including the elderly and children, were trapped inside the temple when the operation began and many were wounded and killed as a result.[22]
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in the Golden Temple
Throughout his career Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale remained in contact with Indira Gandhi.[23][24] Bhindranwale had earlier "taken refuge in"[citation needed] or "taken over"[citation needed] the Golden temple and made it his headquarters in April 1980, when he was behind the assassination of Nirankari Gurbachan Singh.[25] The Nirankari Baba, also known as Baba Gurbachan, had been the target of an attack by followers of Jarnail, outside the Golden Temple. On 13 April 1978, Nirankari's Baba Gurbachan is alleged to have ridiculed 10th Guru Gobind Singh in a Nirankari Convention held in Amritsar. This prompted Akhand Kirtani Jatha to lead a protest against the offensive actions by Baba Gurbachan. Police responded to the sikhs protest by opening fire on them. Amritsar police used guns to fire at the protesters. In the ensuing violence, several people were killed: two of Bhindranwale's followers, eleven members of the Akhand Kirtani Jatha (total 13 sikhs) and three Nirankaris.[26]In 1982, Bhindranwale and approximately 200 armed followers moved into a guest-house called the Guru Nanak Niwas, in the precinct of the Golden Temple.[27] From here he met and was interviewed by international television crews.[27]
On 23 April 1983, the Punjab Police Deputy Inspector General A. S. Atwal was shot dead as he left the Golden Temple compound. The following day, after the murder, Harchand Singh Longowal (then president of Shiromani Akali Dal) hinted at the involvement of Bhindranwale in the murder.[28]
On 15 December 1983, Bhindranwale was forced to move out of Guru Nanak Niwas house by members of the Babbar Khalsa who acted with Harcharan Singh Longowal's support Longowal by now feared for his own safety. By 1983, the Golden Temple became a fort for a large number of militants.[29]
The Golden Temple compound and some of the surrounding houses were fortified. The Statesman reported on 4 July that light machine-guns and semi-automatic rifles were known to have been brought into the compound.[30] Faced with imminent army action and with the foremost Sikh political organisation, Shiromani Akali Dal (headed by Harchand Singh Longowal), abandoning him, Bhindranwale declared "This bird is alone. There are many hunters after it".[31]
Time magazine reported (about Amritsar) that:[32]
These days it more closely resembles a city of death. Inside the temple compound, violent Sikh fanatics wield submachine guns, resisting arrest by government security forces. Outside, the security men keep a nervous vigil, all too aware that the bodies of murdered comrades often turn up in the warren of tiny streets around the shrine.
Overview
Operation Blue Star was launched to eliminate Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers who had sought cover in the Amritsar Golden Temple Complex. The armed Sikhs within the Harminder Sahib were led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and former Maj. Gen.Shabeg Singh. lt. Gen. Kuldip Singh Brar had command of the action, operating under Gen. Sunderji.June 1, 1984
At 12h40 the CRPF starts firing at "Guru Ram Das Langar" building. The Border Security Force and the Central Reserve Police Force, under orders of the Army started firing upon the Complex, in which at least 8 People died.[citation needed]June 2, 1984
The Indian army had already sealed the international border from Kashmir to Ganga Nagar, Rajasthan. At least seven divisions of army are deployed in villages of Punjab. By the nightfall media and the press were gagged; the rail, road and air services in Punjab were suspended. Foreigners' and NRIs' entry was also banned . General Gauri Shankar was appointed as the Security Advisor to the Governor of Punjab. The water and electricity supply was cut off.June 3, 1984
A complete curfew is observed with the army and para-military patrolling the whole Punjab. The army seals of all routs of ingress and exit around the temple complex. There is a incessant exchange of fire during the night between 3 and 4 June. Neither side is victor or vanquished but the army was beaten back.June 4, 1984
Army started bombarding the historic Ramgarhia Bungas, water tank and other fortified positions. Army used Ordnance QF 25 pounder and achieved the target of destroying outer defenses laid by General Shabeg Singh. Army places tanks and APCs on the road separating the Guru Nanak niwas building thus forming a wall of iron.To fight the army, nearly fifty thousand Sikhs gathered in the Golewal village about 25 km from Amritsar, thirty thousand converged from the side of Batala in Gurdaspur district, about twenty thousand Sikhs gathered at Chauk Mehta the headquarters of Damdami Taksal, another formation of about twenty thousand were marching from the side of Harik patan at confluence of rivers Sutlej and Beas.
The Army helicopters spotted massive movements. General K. Sunderji sends tanks and APCs. Hundreds/thousands of Sikhs are killed at the rendezvous.[33]
The firing stops for a while, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, former head of SGPC sent to negotiate with Bindrawale however is unsuccessful and returns. The Firing resumes.
June 5, 1984
The 9th division launches a frontal attack however is unsuccessful to secure the Akal Takhat.2200–0400 hrs
As in the late evening, the Generals decide to launch a simultaneous attack from three sides. Commandos from the 1st battalion of Parachute regiment from the main entrance of the complex; The 10th battalion of the Guards from the other Norther entrance; The Madrasis and Garhwalis from the hostel complex side entrance. As the commandos entered the temple they were gunned down by light machine-gun fire from both sides of the steps/stair-case. The few commandos who did get down the steps were driven back by a barrage of fire from the building on the south side of the sacred pool. The Commandos fail to reach the pavement around the sacred pool.A second collective attempt by the Guards and the Commandos manages to reach the pavement around the pool; however it comes under heavy fire from all around. The crawling was impossible as General Shabeg Singh had placed LMGs nine-ten inches above the ground. This attempt caused many casualties among the Indian troops.
A third attempt was made 200 each the Commandos and the Guards to certain success.
On the southern side, The Madras and Garhwal battalions were not able to make it to the pavement around the pool. They were engaged by defender's position on the southern side.
Even after having been reported high casualties, General Sunderji orders fourth assault by the Commandos. The Madras battalion is reinforced with two more companies of the 7th Garhwal Rifles under the command of General K S Brar. However, the Madras and Garhwal troops once again fail to report any successful movement towards the parikarma (pavement aroung the pool) under Brigadier A K Diwan.
Brigadier Diwan reports heavy casualties and requests for another reinforcement. General Brar sends two companies of 15 Kumaon Regiment. Brigadier Diwan reports again heavy casualties and asks for tank support. Brar requests General Sunderji for tank support after an APC was destroyed by a rocket fired by a Sikh militant. His request was granted and seven tanks rolled into the Golden Temple complex.
By 05h00 June 6, the shelling achieved its objective and the primary target of destroying the Akal Takhat. However, the secondary objective of removing militants from other neighboring structures went on for a further 24 hours.
June 6, 1984
The resistance continues from the neighboring structures of the Akal Takhat.June 7, 1984
Army gains complete control of the Golden temple complex.The Toshakhana, treasure house, of the Golden Temple was systematically looted. [34]
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