Operation Blue Star
The Operation Blue Star (also known as the Golden Temple Massacre) (June 4 to June 6, 1984) was the Indian military raid of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, the holiest temple of the Sikh religion.
Following crackdown on sikh militants in early 1984, a group of militant sikhs led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale took refuge in the Golden Temple and transformed it into a military stronghold. The temple was earlier a site where 10,000 sikhs vowed to lay down their lives if necessary for a separate sikh state. (see John Pike, "Sikhs in Punjab", )
In March 1984, by which time the temple was already long occupied by Bhindranwale, the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered the Indian army to sorround the temple. In April, major concessions were offered by the Indian government which were welcomed by the moderates like Akali Dal but failed to appease the radicals. Tensions continued to mount between the government and the radical faction amidst an increase in violence in the state of Punjab and intelligence reports of India's archrival Pakistans willingness to politically and militarily support an independent state of Khalistan as a homeland for the sikhs.
On the 3rd of June, a 36 hour curfew was imposed on the state of Punjab which increased the apprehensiveness of the militants inside the temple that a raid on the temple was imminent. The period coincided with the weekend of 2nd and 3rd, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev who built the Golden Temple and compiled the Sikh's Holy book. As a result of this,when the curfew was lifted the temple Guru Granth Sahib was filled with worshippers.
So far the religious risks of storming the shrine had led to a tense stand-off and it appeared security forces were still hoping the militants would surrender, making a direct attack unnecessary. (see BBC reports and time lines 6/June/1984, available )
Amid fears of declaration of independence by Bhindranwale and support from Pakistan, Indira Gandhi decided to send troops inside the temple. Bhindranwale declared he would die as a martyr and any military action within the temple would unite the Sikhs of India.
On June 5th 1984, the Indian army asked the militants to surrender and made a plea to release the trapped civilians inside. The militants however refused to surrender or release the hostages forcing the army to storm the temple.
The army used as much force as it deemed necessary to dislodge the militants.
Eyewitnesses say that the army deployed tanks, armed personnel carriers, rocket launchers, heavy machine guns and helicopters. Many of the buildings surrounding the Temple were reduced to rubble. However the army also tried to limit damage to the extent that it was possible. The Harmindar Sahib [the sanctum sanctorum where the Sikh holy book, the Guru Granth Sahib, is kept during the day] received little damage. On the other hand, Bhindranwale, a self proclaimed leader of the Sikhs, showed total disregard for the tenets of Sikhism by occupying the first floor of the Anti-Sikh riots broke out North India killing as many as 3,000 Sikhs, militancy in Punjab lasted for more than a decade in which many people, often a target of sikh militants, were killed.
Operation Bluestar was followed by Operation Woodrose, in which the Indian government expanded their operations in Punjab and arrested and killed many thousands of Sikh militants.
