Operation Blue Star and Later
On 19 July 1982, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was accused of the murders of Lala Jagat Narain and Baba Gurbachan Singh Nirankari, moved into the sanctuary of the Harimandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex. According to reports he fortified the complex and began to stockpile weapons. In June 1983, Bhindranwale was asked: "If Jagjit Singh Chauhan attacks India with assistance from England, America, and Canada, whom will you help?" Bhindranwale hedged and did not indicate his support.
To flush out Bhindranwale and his supporters from the Harimandir Sahib, a government operation codenamed Operation Blue Star was undertaken on June 5–6, 1984 in which Bhindranwale was killed.
On June 12, 1984 in London Chauhan was interviewed for his reaction in a BBC interview. The interviewer asked: "Do you actually want to see the downfall of Mrs. Gandhi's Government?" Chauhan answered: "..within a few days you will have the news that Mrs. Gandhi and her family has been beheaded. That is what the Sikhs will do..". After this interview, Thatcher government curtailed Chauhan's activities. The British government had also instructed him to confine his activities within the bounds of democracy and the laws of the land.
On June 13, 1984, Chauhan announced a government in exile. On 31 October 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated.
Chauhan's Indian passport was cancelled on April 24, 1989 by the Indian High Commission after he visited India and hoisted the flag of Khalistan at a gurdwara at Anandpur Sahib. India raised a storm when he was allowed to enter USA using the canceled passport.
Vancouver fundamentalists Talwinder Singh Parmar and Surjan Singh Gill were at one time aligned with Chauhan.
Read more about this topic: Jagjit Singh Chauhan
Famous quotes containing the words operation, blue and/or star:
“It is critical vision alone which can mitigate the unimpeded operation of the automatic.”
—Marshall McLuhan (1911–1980)
“So as to comprehend that the sky is blue everywhere one doesn’t need to travel around the world.”
—Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749–1832)
“Our star was brighter perhaps when it had water in it.
Now there is no question even of that, but only
Of holding on to the hard earth so as not to get thrown off,
With an occasional dream, a vision ...”
—John Ashbery (b. 1927)