By India Today Web Desk: The 1984 Operation Blue Star was the biggest

internal security mission ever undertaken by the Indian Army. Operation

Blue Star was Indira Gandhi's solution to the haywire going law and order

situation in Punjab.

Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, ordered the military

operation to remove Sikh militants who were accumulating weapons in the

Harmandir Sahib Complex (Golden Temple).

Operation Blue Star was carried out between June 1 and June 8, 1984, in

Amritsar.

THE BIRTH OF BLUE STAR

Operation Blue Star took birth after the rise of Khalistan movement in India.

The Khalistan movement was a political Sikh nationalist movement which

aimed at creating an independent state for Sikhs inside the current North-

Western Republic of India.

Even though the Khalistan movement started in the early 1940s and 1950s,

it gained popularity between 1970s and 1980s.

JARNAIL SINGH BHINDRANWALE

Bhindranwale was the leader of Damdami Taksal and was one of the main

reasons behind Operation Blue Star. As a leader, Bhindranwale had an

influence on Sikh youth. He persuaded many people to follow Sikh rules

and tenets.

During Operation Blue Star, Bhindranwale and Khalistan supporters took

over the Akal Takht complex in Amritsar's Golden Temple.

Bhindranwale was seen as a supporter of the creation of Khalistan.

Operation Blue Star specifically was aimed to eliminate Jarnail Singh

Bhindranwale from the Golden Temple complex and regain the control over

Harmandir Sahib.

DEATH TOLL

Official reports put the number of deaths among the Indian army at 83 and

the number of civilian deaths at 492, though independent estimates ran

much higher.

OPERATION SUNDOWN

Operation Sundown was the aborted mission which was planned by the

RAW agency to abduct Bhindranwale.

Illustration: INDIA TODAY MAGAZINE ARCHIVES

OPERATION BLACK THUNDER

Operation Black Thunder was the second phase of Operation Blue Star.

The first phase was carried out on April 30, 1986, while the second

Operation Black Thunder began on May 9, 1988. It was carried out by

Black Cat commandos of National Security Guards (NSG) to remove Sikh

militants from the Golden Temple.

Operation Blue Star was divided into two parts:

1. Operation Metal: It was limited to Golden Temple but it also led to

Operation Shop - the capturing of suspects from outskirts of Punjab.

2. Operation Woodrose was launched throughout Punjab. The operation

was carried out by Indian Army, using tanks, artillery, helicopters and

armored vehicles.

Photo: India Today Archives

BARRING MEDIA

The government faced a lot of backlash in 1984 as they had barred media

from entering Punjab altogether. Media personnel were put on a bus and

were dropped off at Haryana border. As there was a curfew-situation in

Punjab, no mode of transport was available for them to travel. Whoever

reached was not allowed to enter Punjab as well.

THE AFTERMATH

The military assault led to tensions across members of Sikh community

worldwide.

THE REVENGE

Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh

bodyguards on October 31, 1984, for giving permission for the Operation

Blue Star.

Pro-Khalistan militancy (1980-1995)

Start of pro-Khalistan militancy: Sikh militants led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale

launched an insurgency in Punjab in 1982. Singh was part of militant groups who wanted to
establish a homeland for Sikhs by seceding Punjab from India.
Operation Bluestar: The military action against Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed
followers inside the Golden Temple failed to put an end to pro-Khalistan militancy. The military
operation led to the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the subsequent violence against the Sikhs
in Delhi.
Akalis return: Elections were held a year after Operation Bluestar. The Akali Dal, for the first
time, formed the government on their own by winning 73 seats. Surjit Singh Barnala became the
chief minister of Punjab. As violence continued, the Akali Dal government was dismissed and
President's Rule was imposed in the state.
Crackdown on militancy: During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the militancy was at its peak
in Punjab. The government appointed Kanwar Pal Singh as the DGP of Police. He played a
pivotal role in bringing the militancy to an end in the state.
Akalis boycott polls: In 1992, all the factions of the Akali Dal decided to boycott both the
assembly and the Lok Sabha polls. As a result of the boycott, the voter turnout fell to 24%.
CM assassinated: In 1992, Congress’ Beant Singh was appointed as the CM. His ruthless
approach towards terrorists helped in restoration of a degree of normalcy to militancy-infected
Punjab. However, three years into his government, he was assassinated in a car bombing by
Babbar Khalsa International in 1995.