Paper Title: Operation Blue Star and Its Consequences: An Analysis
Author:
Abstract:
Operation Blue Star (June 1984) was a pivotal and controversial military action ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to remove armed militants, led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. While aimed at restoring order amidst the rising Punjab insurgency, the operation resulted in significant casualties and damage to the holiest Sikh shrine. This paper briefly examines the political context leading to the crisis, the execution of the military action, and its profound consequences. It argues that the operation, though tactically successful, was a strategic failure. It severely fractured state-society relations, deepened communal tensions, and directly led to the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the subsequent 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The event remains a critical juncture in Indian history, highlighting the complex interplay of religion, state power, and national identity.
Keywords:Punjab, Golden Temple, Insurgency, State Violence.
DOI Link – https://doi.org/10.63431/AIJITR/3.I.2026.70-76
Review By – Dr. Amit Adhikari and Mr. Swarup Rana