Cycle of violence

The Punjab problem spiralled into a cycle of violence that scarred the nation. Understanding this sequence is essential not just for the exam, but for grasping how political mistakes can lead to human tragedy.

The movement’s leadership shifted from moderate Akalis to extremist elements, who turned to armed insurgency. These militants made the Golden Temple in Amritsar — the holiest Sikh shrine — their headquarters, turning it into an armed fortress.

In June 1984, the Government of India launched Operation Blue Star, a military action to flush out the militants from the Golden Temple. The operation succeeded in removing them, but it caused significant damage to the historic temple. This deeply hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community. A large proportion of Sikhs in India and abroad saw the operation as an attack on their faith, which gave further impetus to militant and extremist groups.

Then came an even more tragic turn. On 31 October 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated outside her residence by her own bodyguards. Both assassins were Sikhs, and they acted to avenge Operation Blue Star.

The assassination shocked the entire country. In the days that followed, violence broke out against the Sikh community in Delhi and many parts of northern India. The violence continued for almost a week. More than two thousand Sikhs were killed in the national capital alone — the area worst affected. Hundreds more were killed in other parts of the country, especially in Kanpur, Bokaro, and Chas. Many Sikh families lost their male members, suffering great emotional and heavy financial loss.

What hurt the Sikhs most was that the government took a long time to restore normalcy, and the perpetrators of this violence were not effectively punished. Twenty years later, in 2005, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed regret over these killings in Parliament and apologised to the nation for the anti-Sikh violence. …