Operation Blue Star: Meaning (information, definition, explanation, facts)

The Operation Blue Star (also known as the Golden Temple Massacre) (June 4 to June 6, 1984) was the Indian government raid of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, the holiest temple of the Sikh religion.

The temple was controlled by a group of Sikhs, who were led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The attack took place in early June, while Sikhs were celebrating one of their most important holy days. As a result of this, the temple was filled with worshippers. The Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi place a curfew on the state of Punjab, and no one was allowed to leave the temple. Nobody was allowed in Punjab. All media were forced to leave Punjab.

Many Sikhs believe that the number of Bhindranwale's men has been greatly exaggerated by the government. Estimates by survivors of the attack put the number of Bhindranwale's men at around 100 men.

Amid fears of declaration of independence by Bhindranwale and support from Pakistan, Indira Gandhi decided to send troops inside the temple. To make matter worse, Indian army simultaneously attacked 40 other historical Gurdwaras all over Punjab. Bhindranwale declared he would die as a martyr and any military action within the temple would unite the Sikhs of India. The operation was poorly executed and the army bought in tanks in the temple to flush the militant Sikh separatists. The success in emptying the temple was marred by the damage to the temple building (especially the Akal Takht) and killing of civilian worshipers caught in the fire. Estimates of the number of innocent men, women, children and elderly killed in the attack range from 4,000 to 6,000. The Sikh reference library which contained old Sikh texts, which was in a separate building, was also set ablaze by the Indian Army.

Operation Blue Star led to India's bitter relations with Sikhs all over the world. It was considered by some Sikhs as a great insult because of the use of force at their holy place, on of the most holiest of days. The later assassination of Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards was said to be in response. The events that followed were more horrific. 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 more Sikhs 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 Sikhs.