From: jameskerlindsay
The year 1984 marked a pivotal and violent period in the history of Sikh separatism in India, profoundly shaping the movement both domestically and internationally [00:07:02].
Operation Blue Star (1984)
By 1984, there was escalating unrest in India, with reports indicating that Sikh militants were fortifying the Golden Temple complex under their charismatic leader, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale [00:07:19]. In response, on June 1, 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi ordered troops to storm the site, imposing a complete media blackout on the province [00:07:27]. Concurrently, a crackdown was launched against Sikh separatists elsewhere in the region [00:07:37].
Known as Operation Blue Star, the week-long military action became a “bloodbath” [00:07:44]. The Indian government claimed 500 militants, including Bhindranwale, and 80 Indian soldiers were killed [00:07:49]. However, Sikh groups fiercely disputed these figures, asserting that thousands died [00:08:00]. Additionally, parts of the Golden Temple complex suffered severe damage during the fighting [00:08:02].
Assassination of Indira Gandhi and Anti-Sikh Riots
The events of Operation Blue Star had profound and immediate consequences [00:08:09]. On October 31, 1984, just months after the operation, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards in revenge for the storming of the temple [00:08:14].
This assassination triggered widespread anti-Sikh rioting across India, resulting in the deaths of almost 3,500 people [00:08:24].
Long-Term Effects
The events of 1984 had different, yet significant, effects on the Sikh community both within India and abroad [00:08:32].
Domestic Impact
In India, the militant independence movement began to weaken after 1984 [00:09:03]. Although some groups, such as Babbar Khalsa, continued to carry out attacks like bombings and assassinations, their potency gradually diminished [00:09:08]. The Indian police continued their crackdown, and the broader movement became fractured [00:09:18]. By the turn of the millennium, the armed campaign appeared to be finished, and many Sikhs seemed disillusioned [00:09:22]. For example, Jagjit Singh Chohan, a former Punjabi Finance Minister and exile leader of the independence movement, was pardoned and returned to India, where he died in 2007 [00:09:30].
International Impact
Internationally, the events of 1984 “fired up Sikh sentiment,” attracting many to the independence cause and igniting the Khalistani movement [00:08:40]. This also led to one of the world’s worst terrorist attacks: in 1985, Sikh separatists bombed an Air India flight from Toronto, killing all 329 people on board [00:08:50].
However, the passage of time also tempered feelings within the diaspora [00:09:38]. While commitment to an independent Khalistan remained, the movement seemed to slowly peter out [00:09:44]. This decline was aided by an increasingly aggressive clampdown on Sikh militants by Western governments [00:09:50]. For instance, in 2001, Britain proscribed Babbar Khalsa as a terrorist organization [00:09:57].
Legacy and Current Sentiments
Despite the decline in overt militancy, the legacy of 1984 continues to influence the handling of Sikh separatism. In 2023, fears about a return to the past persisted, with police taking precautions regarding figures like Amritpal Singh, stating he could still be dangerous if released [00:12:06]. These events underscore that while the prospect of a violent new phase of Sikh separatism in Punjab seems unlikely, the idea of an independent Sikh homeland has not lost all its appeal, both in India and abroad [00:12:50].