THE LOWDOWN: What was Operation Bluestar? Did Army walk into a trap?

India Today

06-05-2025

The news: Responding to a Sikh man's question on Operation Bluestar and the 1984 riots, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi acknowledged his party's "past mistakes". "A lot of those (mistakes) happened when I was not there, but I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything the Congress party has ever done wrong in its history," he said during an interaction at the Brown University in the US.advertisementOperation Bluestar: A brief history Since the beginning of the 1980s, Punjab was burning with the ferocious intensity of Sikh extremism. One of their leaders, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the wiry, hawk-eyed jathedar of the Damdami Taksal who always carried a silver arrow, had taken refuge in the Golden Temple with his armed followers. From the sacred precincts of the shrine, they had unleashed a reign of terror, killing with impunity and receding into the safety of its sacred corridors.
May 28, 1984, New DelhiEarly in the morning, the Governor of Punjab, BD Pandey, received an urgent summons to a meeting in New Delhi. On entering the cabinet secretary's room, he saw RN Kao, a former chief of India's Research and Analysis Wing, and PC Alexander, principal secretary to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and a member of the Punjab think tank.advertisementThe two bureaucrats briefed Pandey about the escalating turmoil in Punjab. They said credible intelligence from the Russians indicated Khalistan, an independent state, could be proclaimed as early as June 7 from the Golden Temple and various other gurdwaras, followed by the massacre of Hindus and all Congress members of Parliament and the state's legislative assembly.Pandey's assessment of the situation was different. He believed some Hindu hardliners and the press were building a false narrative. "I listened somewhat spellbound, as I could not believe that she would go to such lengths," he was to recall later in his memoir, In The Service Of Free India.May 27-28, 1984, MeerutMajor-General Kuldeep Singh 'Bulbul' Brar, commander of the 9th Division based in Meerut, a north Indian town known for the historic 1857 mutiny by sepoys against the British, was packing his bags for a honeymoon in Manila when he was summoned to Delhi a day before his flight.The following morning, he flew to Chandimandir, the headquarters of the western command of the Indian Army, where he was informed that his leave had been cancelled. He was to lead the operation to cleanse the Golden Temple of Bhindranwale and his men, who had turned the shrine into a fortified battlefield.advertisementThe number of armed men inside the temple was estimated to be anywhere between 200 and 1,000. The information regarding the weapons was similarly inconsistent in terms of quantity, efficacy, and range. Those who underestimated Bhindranwale's arsenal reported just a few machine guns and automatic rifles. They claimed Bhindranwale's half-trained Nihangs mostly wielded 303 rifles, kirpans, sticks, and country-made grenades assembled within the temple premises.A nasty surprise was waiting for Brar. Unknown to him, the Sikhs, led by retired Major-General Shabeg Singh, a war hero and Brar's trainer, had raised an army of at least 2000 fighters armed with medium and light machine guns, automatic rifles, and even rocket-propelled grenade launchers that could destroy armoured carriers.On June 2, 1984, New DelhiThe scheduled programme on Doordarshan, the state-controlled TV network, and radio stations was abruptly interrupted by a surprising announcement: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would address the nation at 8:30 pm.At 8:30 pm, almost all of India gathered around their radio and TV sets to hear the commanding and authoritative voice of the Indian Prime Minister, referred to by many as the 'only male in her cabinet.'But there was an anti-climax. The PM did not appear at the appointed hour; the TV screens turned blank.advertisementTwo days before Indira Gandhi was set to address the nation, the 'dictator' of the Akali Morcha, Sant HS Longowal, Bhindranwale's rival, declared that he would not permit the transportation of grains from Punjab outside the state.Longowal and other Akali leaders had been holding regular talks with the government on their demand for more water for Punjab and the transfer of Chandigarh to the state. Their charter of demands also included the status of a sacred place to Amritsar, which would have led to a ban on alcohol and tobacco in the city, live telecast of Gurbani from the Golden Temple, and permission to carry kirpans on flights.June 2, 1984, New Delhi9:15 PMIndira Gandhi finally addressed the nation in a resolute tone devoid of emotion. She appealed to the Akalis to call off their movement and accept a peaceful resolution of their problems. Indira Gandhi pointed out that Bhindranwale was now in complete control of Akali politics, and his violent methods had shut out the option of dialogue. The government, she said in an ice-cold voice, would not allow the reign of terror in Punjab.advertisementShe argued that all of India was watching Punjab with a lot of concern. Before ending her address with the statutory 'Jai Hind,' she exhorted everyone to join hands to heal wounds. 'Don't shed blood; shed hatred.'A few minutes after her televised address, the state-controlled radio announced the army had been asked to help the civil administration in Punjab.June 3, 1984, AmritsarJune 3 was the martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev. At least 10,000 people were in the Golden Temple that day. These included regular pilgrims and Akali Dal workers planning to court arrest as part of the demands raised by their party.Around 8 pm, pandemonium broke out in the Golden Temple after the district administration imposed a 36-hour curfew in Amritsar and the army started circling the temple. Devotees queuing up outside the Darshani Deorhi, the arched gateway to the Harmandar Sahib, started running towards the exit gates. Families from adjoining villages packed up in a hurry and left.June 4, 1984, AmritsarAt 10 am, Bhindranwale's war council met in his first-floor room of the Akal Takht–the highest seat of the Sikhs. Ruling out a meek surrender, Bhindranwale exhorted his followers to resist the army for as long as possible. He mocked 'Bibi (Indira Gandhi)' and said nobody had the courage to take on the Sikh lions.advertisementHis followers were convinced thousands of people would surround Amritsar within hours of hearing of the army action. Once this happens, the government will have no option but to call off the operation.Shabeg Singh had positioned his men in every corner of the shrine with deadly guns. Their positions were fortified with bunkers and pillboxes on high-rise buildings and water tanks. The Sikhs had dug holes in the marble floor of the Golden Temple, placing their machine guns just a few inches above the ground to cut down the Indian army, aware they would try to crawl in.June 5, 1984, AmritsarAround 8 pm, a column of the Indian army turned left from the Kotwali police station, around 400 metres from the Golden Temple, and advanced menacingly towards the square in front of the Ghanta Ghar entrance. Leading the convoy were three Vijayanta tanks of the 16th cavalry and four BMPs (Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty fighting machines) of the mechanised infantry. 'Operation Bluestar', named after a refrigerator brand, had begun.The initial gunfight led to heavy casualties, with the army failing to breach the Sikh defensive positions. Caught in man-to-man combat in the temple's corridors and its labyrinthine tunnels, the army failed to reach the Akal Takht, where Bhindranwale and his top men were holed up.By 3 AM, confronted by relentless firing causing significant losses and concerned about the repercussions of a battle under the sun's light, Brar sought permission to deploy tanks into the Golden Temple courtyard. The objective was to dismantle the concrete fortifications enclosing the Akal Takht before it became too late, even if it meant the destruction of the ancient seat of the temporal power of the Sikhs.After an operation that lasted till dawn, the army finally managed to take control of the Golden Temple, killing most of the armed Sikhs, including Bhindranwale. The Akal Takht and its adjoining buildings suffered heavy damage from tanks and guns that fired several hundred rounds.How many people were killed? The official tally of the dead was 492 civilians and 83 soldiers–total 575. But Sikh organisations claim the number was in excess of 2000. These included civilians, Sikh militants and army personnel.Was there a rebellion in Punjab's villages?While Brar's men surrounded the Golden Temple, the army went from village to village, looking for signs of trouble. The police carried out surprise raids, taking several people into preventive custody. While Bhindranwale waited for an uprising in Punjab, the government preempted it with swift and heavy mobilisation. Simultaneously, all channels of communication were cut off—the TV sets were blank as there was no power, the All India Radio didn't report anything on Punjab, and newspapers were not allowed to be circulated. Huddled inside their homes, isolated from the world, Punjab boiled with tension and rumours. But the feared mutiny never took place.Why did Indira Gandhi send the Army into the temple?As mentioned earlier, her government believed the Sikhs were ready to stop the supply of grains to the rest of the country, leading to acute shortage. In addition, there was fear of mass killings of Hindus and politicians, leading to anarchy and mayhem.In addition, the government had received intelligence that Bhindranwale was to announce Khalistan, a separate land for the Sikhs. This was to be followed by Pakistan's recognition of Khalistan, and military support to it.Were these fears justified?Many analysts argue these reports were exaggerated and part of Indira Gandhi's justification for Operation Bluestar.But, there were indeed incidents of mass protests in the run up to June 5. A few months ago, when the police laid siege to a gurdwara in Moga to flush out armed supporters of Khalistan, priests and villagers threatened to march towards the shrine and form a protective ring. The siege had to be lifted.Was Khalistan to be announced on radio?Nobody knows for certain. But there were rumours that General Zia ul Haq, Pakistan's President, had sent a radio with a direct line to him to Bhindranwale for the announcement. The speculation was never verified.Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, a senior Akali leader and former minister in the Punjab government, disclosed in an interview years later that two individuals approached the hostel room where he had sought refuge with Longowal and GS Tohra, senior Akali leader, during the crisis. Carrying a box with them, they urgently implored Longowal and Tohra to announce the establishment of an independent Sikh nation. However, the two Akali Sikhs baulked at the proposal and instructed the visitors to convey their request to Bhindranwale. The visitors, of course, never managed to breach the army cordon to reach Bhindranwale's location.Was Operation Bluestar a mistake?History is complicated. It demands action in the present but analysis in the future. Perhaps Indira Gandhi had solid reasons to act for the safety and integrity of India. Maybe her decision was inspired by electoral losses just before Op Bluestar, which may have made her insecure. Her critics argue Indira Gandhi wanted to re-establish herself as an 'iron lady' and the protector of Hindus, who were living in the shadow of terror in Punjab.Sending the Army into the Golden Temple at short notice, that too when hundreds of pilgrims had gathered on Guru Arjan Dev's martyrdom day, was a huge tactical blunder.The Army entered the shrine without proper intel or assessment of the Sikh firepower. In the panic to salvage the situation before it spun out of hand–and led to an uprising–it resorted to the use of tanks and armoured vehicles. These mistakes caused heavy damage to the sacred shrine, and led to a huge outrage among the Sikhs.A few years later, terrorists again took sanctuary in the Golden Temple. Rajiv Gandhi ordered another operation–called Black Thunder–to flush them out. But, this time, security forces laid siege to the shrine, cutting off supply lines, power, food and water to the holed up Sikhs. Because of the successful blockade, more than 200 terrorists were captured without the need for an armed invasion of the Golden Temple.If Indira Gandhi and her advisors had shown similar acumen and patience, the history of Punjab and Sikhs could have been different.And Rahul Gandhi may not have been apologising for the mistakes of the past.(Sandipan Sharma is the author of 'Terror In The Golden Temple', a historical fiction inspired by Operation Blue Star)Must Watch