Operation Blue Star was an Indian Armed Forces operation between 1 and 10 June 1984 to remove Damdami Taksal leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers from the buildings of the Golden Temple, the holiest site of Sikhism, in Amritsar, Punjab, India. The decision to launch the operation rested with the Prime Minister of India, then Indira Gandhi, who had already authorized military preparation for a confrontation at the temple complex 18 months prior according to the then-Vice Chief of the Army Staff, S. K. Sinha.
Operation Blue Star was launched to remove Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers who had sought cover in the Amritsar Harmandir Sahib Complex. On 3 June, a 36-hour curfew was imposed on the state of Punjab with all methods of communication and public travel suspended. The electricity supply was also interrupted, creating a total blackout and cutting off the state from the rest of the world. Complete media censorship was enforced. The army stormed Harmandir Sahib on the night of 5 June under the command of Kuldip Singh Brar. The forces had full control of Harmandir Sahib by the morning of 7 June.
The operation was successful in removing Bhindranwale and his followers from the Golden Temple, but it came at a high cost. Hundreds of Sikhs were killed, including many pilgrims who were trapped inside the temple complex. The operation also damaged the Golden Temple, and it remains a controversial event in Indian history.
The Indian government justified the operation by arguing that Bhindranwale and his followers were using the Golden Temple as a base for their separatist activities. They also claimed that Bhindranwale was stockpiling weapons in the temple complex, and that he was planning to assassinate the Prime Minister. However, these claims have been disputed by some historians.
Operation Blue Star had a profound impact on Indian society. It led to widespread anger and resentment among Sikhs, and it contributed to the rise of the Khalistan movement. The operation also damaged the reputation of the Indian government, and it led to a loss of faith in the secular values of the Indian state.
The events of Operation Blue Star are still a source of pain and division in India. The operation has been criticized by human rights groups, and it has been called a "genocide" by some Sikhs. However, the Indian government has defended the operation, and it has argued that it was necessary to protect national security.
