Operation Blue Star - Criticisms

Criticisms

The use of artillery in the congested inner city of Amritsar proved deadly to many civilian bystanders living near the Golden Temple. The media blackout throughout the Punjab resulted in widespread doubt regarding the official stories and aided the promotion of hearsay and rumour. The operation is criticised on four main grounds, the choice of time of attack by Government, heavy casualty, loss of property, and allegation of human rights violations by Army personnel.

Special Magistrate of Punjab Mr.A R Darshi writes in his book, The Gallant Defender: "Brutalities committed by the Indian Army on the Sikhs during Operation Blue Star, were shocking and terrific. Innocent Sikhs old, young and children, were mercilessly slaughtered. Women were raped by the soldiers."

G.K.C Reddy writes "Thus the Operation Bluestar will go down in the history as one of the biggest massacres of unarmed civilians by the organised military force of a nation."

Chand Joshi writes "Army units acted in total anger and unwittingly shot down all the suspects rounded up from Golden Temple complex".

BBC's Mark Tully (and Satish Jacob), Amritsar; Mrs. Gandhi's Last Battle, wrote "Any army which wants to destroy a nation destroys its culture. That is why Indian army burnt the Sikh Library."