Amritsar: Today on the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star, Pro-Khalistan slogans were raised by several people from the Sikh community at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. A fraction of people were carrying the posters of separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Among those protesting, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) chief Simranjit Singh Mann was also seen raising slogans and displaying posters of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale at the Golden Temple premises.
On the 40th anniversary of operation blue star and security arrangements in regard SSP SS Randhawa said that security has been beefed up around the Golden Temple.
“Security arrangements have been made here. Forces have been deployed and barricading has been done. Any untoward incident will be monitored,” said Senior Superintendent of Police SS Randhawa Singh.
What is Operation Blue Star and Who was Bhindranwale?
Bhindranwale was the head of the radical Sikh outfit Damdami Taksal. He along with his armed followers was killed during Operation Blue Star launched by the Indian Army to flush out the militants from the Golden Temple complex in June 1984.
June 6, 1984, marked the day when the Indian Army, under Operation Blue Star, stormed into the Golden Temple on orders of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to contain Sikh militancy under the leadership of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale in Punjab. It was reported that Bhindranwale had stashed large quantities of arms on the Golden Temple premises.
The Operation was heavily criticised. Months later, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards at her New Delhi residence on October 31, 1984.
Beant Singh and Satwant Singh were Indira Gandhi’s bodyguards and killed her on October 31, 1984, at her residence.