STORY OF OPERATION BLUESTAR AND
ASSASINATION OF INDIRA GANDHI
This particular
chapter deals with the happenings related to operation bluestar and the
assassination of prime minister Indira Gandhi. Once time was there when Punjab
was one of the richest state of India. Everything in Punjab was going in well
manner. It was amongst the developed state of India. Then why the demand of
Khalistan raised and why the youth mass of Punjab went to take side of extreme
violence? The worst ever time of Punjab started with the defeat of prime
minister Indira Gandhi in the 1977 elections. Due to the defeat of congress
party in a large margin from the opposition, in Panjab also congress party
defeated to the Akali dal led by Prakash Singh Badal. And at that time congress
took the help of one such person, who made the difference not only in Punjab
but also in whole of India. The name was Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale. He was the
leader of DamdamiTaksal of Amritsar. He was in touch with Gyani Jail Singh and
Sanjay Gandhi. During that point of time Gyani Jail Singh was one eminent
politician in Punjab. With due consultation from Sanjay Gandhi, Gyani Jail
Singh took the help of Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale to defeat Akali Dal in Punjab.
Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale’s approach was bit bitter from the initial days and
that impressed Sanjay Gandhi a lot and he thought that this is the right person
who can do the task for us in Punjab. Eminent Journalist Kuldeep Nayar metioned
this in his autobiography “Beyond the lines”. Congress party was also giving
fund to Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale to accomplish their aim. From 13th
April 1978 he became a known face to everyone because of the clash between
Nirankari and Amritdhari. On that date thirteen Amritdhari Sikhs were killed. A
case was also filed against Amridhari leader Baba Guru Bachan Singh. Guru
Bachan Singh was killed on 24th April 1980 and his murderer were in
touch with Bhindrawale. Congress was sponcering Bhindrawale in a very tactful
manner to accomplish their objective but at the same time Bhindrawale was also
having his own mission. Gyani Jail Singh and Sanjay Gandhi for the campaigning
purpose of Bhindrawale they organised a new party. In 1980 election Bhindrawale
also campaigned in support of congress party’s candidate and in that
campaigning Amritsar seat was also included. In that election Indira Gandhi
again came into power with a huge victory and after that result, while she was
giving an interview to BBC, she talked about Bhindrawale that she does know any
Bhindrawale. In that election Indira Gandhi led congress backed 351 seat put of
the total seat and had the majority in the parliament. Indira Gandhi gave the
home minister portfolio to Gyani Jail Singh. And in Punjab also congress party
defeated Akali Dal and Darbar Singh of congress party became the chief minister
of Punjab and with that an inception of new era of politics took place in
Punjab. After congress came into power in Punjab, Akali dal went back to their
past agenda, it was that agenda which was fixed in the 1973 Aananda P. Sahab
resolution. Basing on those resolution Akali dal was putting pressure on
congress government. And resolutions like to name Chandigarh as the capital of
Punjab. At that time census started in Punjab as well like in others states of
the country. And that changed the politics of Punjab. Politics started in the
tune of religion and language in Punjab. One of the highest circulated
newspaper in Punjab named by Punjab Keshari started an expedition in relation
to Hindi. During the census on 1981, everyone was asked about their mother
tongue. Hindu people should say Hindi as their mother tongue in spite of saying
Panjabi and this was not making happy to the hard-core Panjabi people. For them
it was a conspiracy. On 9th September 1981 Lala Jagat Narayan was
shot dead and Bhindrawale was accused of that killing. After four days of the
killing government of Punjab issued warrant against Bhindrawale. During that
time Bhindrawalewas in Chandokala of Harayana. Finally, on 15th
September 1981 Bhindrawale was arrested Amritsar. Due to the direct interest of
prime minister Indira Gandhi, Bhindrawale could able get the bail and home
minister Gyani Jail Singh declared in the parliament that due to the
unavailability of evidence Bhindrawale got the bail. At that point of time a
demand of Separate country named by Khalistan started to came from Punjab.
Sikhs all round the world supported the demand of Khalistan. It was the time
when India was preparing to organise Asiad games. Asiad games was scheduled for
November and December of 1982. After thirty years India was about to host such
a big sporting event. In which players from 33 countries were supposed to take
participate. The whole responsibility of Asiad games was on the shoulder of
Rajiv Gandhi, elder son of prime minister Indira Gandhi. Security system were
got more tightened in Delhi for the sporting event. Asiad games was going under
the supervision of Rajiv Gandhi and in other side Bhindrawale was preparing for
the agitation, for which the government was bound to seal the Delhi- Haryana
road. Police was behaving in a very rude way to all the Sikhs who were coming
to Delhi and going out of Delhi and the hero of Indo-Pak war of 1965 Air
Marshall Arjan Singh also behave badly by the police. And police also arrested
more than 1500 people. A huge anger was erupting in Punjab for this and
Bhindrawale took the advantage of that anger in Panjab. According to Bhindrawale
government is treating Sikhs as second class people. At that time violence was
at the peak in Punjab. Out of plenty of murders, one murder is most popular and
it was the killing of DIG of Punjab AS Atwal, he had been to Golden temple and
on his way back from Golden temple he was shot dead in from the temple gate.
His dead body was laying on the road to Golden temple but no police officer
couldn’t dare to capture his senior officer’s dead body. How terrible
Bhindrawale was? Finally, chief minister Darbara Singh talked to Bhindrawale
regarding that problem and then Bhindrawale allowed the policemen to take the
dead body. Chief minister Darbara Singh was amongst those personel who were
daring to take strict action against Bhindrawale but the politics of congress
party and Gyani Jail Singh was not letting him to do anything. After the murder
of DIG Atwal then Darbara Singh suggested Indira Gandhi to send police to
Golden Temple and then Indira Gandhi asked Gyani Jail Singh about the move but
Gyani Jail Singh didn’t want to send police to Golden Temple. And it empowered
Bhindrawale a lot. Situation in Punjab was getting more devastating and out of
control. Then to control the situation in Punjab Indira Gandhi took a big
political turn that by announcing Gyani Jail Singh’s name for the next
president of India. On 25th July 1983 he became the president of
India. Behind giving the highest post to
a Sikh it will result in reducing terrorism in Punjab. But it didn’t happen.
The situation was going out of control day by day. So finally Indira Gandhi
dissolved the government of Punjab and imposed president rule in Punjab. It was
regarded as the huge mistake of Indira Gandhi. it also didn’t impact anything
to Bhindrawale. But still Indira Gandhi was staying back to take strict action
against Bhindrawale. She failed to feel the emotions of Sikhs. Day by day the
power of Bhindrawale was increasing. While in Delhi the advisors of Indira
Gandhi were insisting her to take action against Bhindrawale. Time came when
Bhindrawale with his supporters took a big step on 15th December
1983 that they capture Akal Takt of Golden temple. It was the place which have
both social and political value. From Akal Takt he was challenging Indira
Gandhi. Akali dal also knoing the fact that Bhindrawale was gaining power day
by day, the PV Narasimha Rao the external affairs minister of that time
shouldered the responsibility to find a way out by talking to Akali dal
members. After talking to the members of Akali dal, he coined a formula which
was supported by Akali members as well. the formula was Chandigarh will be
given to Punjab. But it should be accepted by Bhindrawale and which was the
biggest problem of that time. But Bhindrawale was not at all in favour any
treaty. Then situation was getting worst and it was the time when Indira Gandhi
had to take any decision. On 1st June Punjab was given in the hands
of army and finally Indira Gandhi decided to send army into the Golden temple
premises. The code word given and it was operation bluestar. But Bhindrawale
was confident that army will not enter to Golden temple, if they will then a
huge clash will occur. He was quite
ready to fight with the army. After covering the entire temple army regularly appealed
all the people to come outside. By 5th June 1984 only 129 people
came outside and then at evening seven o’clock army started firing and it went
from both the side throughout the night. At morning it was decided to use tank
to remove all the terrorists from Akal Takt. While army was trying to remove
Bhindrawale and his collegues from Akal Takt at the same time a discussion was
going between prime minister Indira Gandhi and president Gyani Jail Singh cause
Gyani Jail Singh was not aware of the operation bluestar. By 7th
June operation bluestar came to an end. Due to this operation a lot of valuable
things were destroyed and a huge loss happened to Akal Takt after that
government tried to rebuild it but Punjab masses didn’t allow the government to
rebuild it, they rebuild it by their own way. In the operation bluestar a total
of 83 soldiers were killed and 247 were injured as well. and the other dead
bodies were exceeding the number of 492 which includes the terrorists as well.
A lot of war tools were collected after the operation from the temple premises.
After that drastic event in Punjab the central government officers decided to
remove the Sikh guards from the security task which was forwarded to prime
minister Indira Gandhi but prime minister Indira Gandhi denied that proposal.
Then it was made final that in the security prime minister Indira Gandhi one
Sikh guard will be accompanied by another guard, who will not be a Sikh. But it
was never implemented once. During that time Pupul Jayekar approached Indira
Gandhi to write the biography of Indira Gandhi and prime minister Indira Gandhi
happily agreed. On 27th October 1984 Indira Gandhi moved to Srinagar
with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi. She returned for the election campaigning at
Odisha, where she delivered a historic speech on 30th October. After
three months the country was supposed to face another election but Iron lady
Indira Gandhi was talking about death! From her letters and conversation, it
was presumed that as if she was thinking that she will have a violent death.
And that happened on 31st October 1984 when she was shot dead by her
own bodyguard. After the death of Bhindrawale and Indira Gandhi also violence
and terrorism didn’t stop in Punjab. It is a right thing that by the means of
violence nothing will solve. After the demise of Indira Gandhi riots occurred
against Sikhs and more than 2500 Sikhs were killed. Rajiv Gandhi became the
prime minister after Indira Gandhi, he became the youngest prime minister ever
in India. He did a treaty with moderate leader Harchan Singh Longuwal to bring peace
to Punjab but terrorist killed Harchan Singh Longuwal and made their aim clear
before the government. Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI was insisting
terrorists in Punjab by giving weapons and by supporting the demand of separate
Khalistan. It was almost ten years to the president rule in Punjab. Government
took a huge step by giving all power and free the DGP KPS Gilko to take action
and control the terrorism in Punjab. After that terrorism in Punjab could able
to controlled by some extent. In 1996 state election of Punjab congress won the
election and formed the government but terrorist killed the chief minister
Byant Singh in Chandigarh legislative assembly.
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