It is written in the book – Leaders of two opposing factions of Punjab Congress had promoted Bhindranwale to weaken each other.
New Delhi. Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi has said that after 'Operation Blue Star' in 1984, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had tears in her eyes after seeing the pictures and videos related to the Golden Temple complex because she was deeply saddened that the military action in the Golden Temple ended with such a huge bloodshed and loss of life and property. Sonia Gandhi has mentioned this in her memoir 'Belonging: A Journey of Love'.
Referring to the separatist movement that emerged in Punjab during the 1980s and the incidents related to Operation Blue Star, he said that previously relatively unknown Sikh separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale had carved an important place in the politics of Punjab in about 15 years.
The former Congress president claimed that leaders of two rival factions of the Punjab Congress had promoted Bhindranwale to weaken each other. However, he later withdrew his support from them and started mobilizing people through various political demands.
Pakistan had tried to spoil the atmosphere of Punjab
According to Sonia Gandhi, the violent separatist movement led by Bhindranwale was aimed at creating polarization between the Hindu and Sikh communities. He alleged that Pakistani intelligence agencies also infiltrated the movement and encouraged violence, so that there could be a large-scale exodus of Hindus from Punjab and create conditions for the state's separation from India. He wrote that during that period, incidents of bomb blasts, killings of innocent people and hijacking of buses had become common. Hindu passengers were taken out of buses and brutally murdered. For the first time after independence, a deep gulf started appearing between Sikhs and Hindus.
Bhindranwale had made his base in the Golden Temple
According to Sonia Gandhi, the demand for a separate Khalistan was being presented as an attempt to create a separate sovereign country in the name of protecting Sikhism. He wrote that in the year 1982, Bhindranwale had made his base in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. There he had set up his own parallel system, which included a judicial organization to settle disputes, a system for issuing decrees and preparing hit lists. Gradually he collected heavy weapons including pistols, Kalashnikov rifles and mortars in the temple premises. According to Sonia, she had also prepared squads to kill the protesters.
Bhindranwale and his associates were planning to declare a separate country
The former Congress president said that despite these incidents, Indira Gandhi kept looking for a way to compromise through secret talks with Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders. In January 1984, the Khalistani flag was hoisted on a building outside the Golden Temple. He wrote that according to intelligence inputs, Bhindranwale and his associates were planning to declare a separate country by hoisting the Khalistani flag on the Golden Temple on August 15. This was considered a serious challenge against the sovereignty of India.
Indira Gandhi could not eat properly
According to Sonia Gandhi, Indira Gandhi was extremely upset by this development. She used to hold meetings till late night and could not even eat properly for many days. Ultimately, despite reluctance, he ordered the army to launch Operation Blue Star. This operation started on June 1, 1984 and on June 4, the army entered the Golden Temple complex. Sonia wrote that the compound had far more weapons and stronger fortifications than intelligence reports suggested. After a fierce conflict, the army gained control of the complex, but during this time many people from both sides were killed and the religious complex was heavily damaged.
Indira Gandhi's face was wet with tears
He said that for the Sikh community this incident was no less than an unholy act. Sonia Gandhi recalled that about a week later, an intelligence officer came to Indira Gandhi with a video of the scene after the operation. In this, dead bodies lying on the ground, Bhindranwale's body, fortifications, underground hideouts and heavy weapons were visible. He wrote, “When my mother-in-law was slowly looking at him, I saw her face wet with tears. I thought they were tears of pain and regret. He was deeply saddened by the loss of so many lives and the siege ending this way.
After Operation Blue Star, the threat to Indira Gandhi's security had increased.
Sonia Gandhi has written that after Operation Blue Star, the threat to Indira Gandhi's security had increased. He had forbidden children from playing outside after evening, but refused to remove Sikh security personnel from his security squad. He believed that discriminating against anyone on the basis of religion would be against his principles. He wrote that Indira Gandhi had to pay the price for her decisions and principles. On 31 October 1984, two of his Sikh security men opened fire on him with machine guns at the entrance of the government house. One of these security personnel used to often play with Rahul and Priyanka at that time.