THE UNEQUAL BATTLE (OPERATION BLUESTAR) by Harman Singh
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
It was an utterly unequal battle fought between a handful of Sikh defenders led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhin-dranwale assisted by Major General Shahbeg Singh and Bhai Amrik Singh on one side and the massive Indian Army headed by Lt. General Krishnaswamy Sunderjit besides Lt. General Ranjit Singh Dyal and Kuldeep Singh Brar. The Sikh fighters were armed with ordinary weapons in comparison to the ones possessed by the Indian Army. The former had no superior weapon than Light Machine Guns. Other arms they possessed were sten-guns. carbines of. 30 caliber, self-loaded Rifles, 303 Rifles, revolvers and pistols of various calibres besides some hand grenades. On the other hand the Indian Army was equipped with all kinds of heavy and sophisticated weapons which included Main Battle Tanks “Vijayanta”. howitzer, heavy guns and canons using twenty-pounder shells, mortors. machine guns. light machine guns and other pieces of artillery used in a field war against an enemy country. Besides, the army had stun-gas bombs, incendiary bombs, highly explosive hand grenades. Armed Personnel Carriers. Armourd Carriers and a lot of other sophisticated weaponry. The Army used Russian made helicopters too. Numerical strength of the Sikh militants was also miserably insignificant in comparison to that of the Indian Army. The Sikh fighters were not more than two hundred whereas the Army’s numerical strength fighting them in the Complex was at least seven thousand.
Sant Harcharan Singh Longowal, a prominent Sikh politician, and Sant Bhindranwale worked together for the implementation of Anandpur Sahib Resolution (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Sikh fighters had no line of communication and source of supply. They were totally cut off from the state. the country and the world. They were completely besieged in the Golden Temple Complex, particularly inside the Akal Takht. Supply of electricity and water was cut off. They had no reserves to reinforce their positions. They had nothing to eat but roasted grains, nothing to drink but their own sweat oozed from their bodies due to scorching heat. They had no place to answer the call of nature. They could not sleep for seven days and seven nights. They were exhausted and weared out under these horrible conditions. On the other hand Indian Army had all sorts of provisions, facilities, reserves and what not. Yet the Sikhs fought gallantly and demonstrated their remarkable valour, courage and fighting skill. Yet they held the well equipped Indian Army at bay for five days and gave it a bloody reply, the reply which the Army would remember for ever. Had the militant Sikhs been equally armed, had their numerical strength been even one-tenths of the Indian Army, they would have pushed the Army up to Delhi or even beyond Jamuna.
Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Khanda (Photo credit: HarinderKaur)
The unequal battle, that handful supporters ofSant Bhindranwale fought, would be recorded in the golden letters in the history of the Sikhs. The entire credit for this exemplary valour goes to Sant Bhindranwale who had enthused and inspired the Sikhs to fight for their rights and defend their faith. It would not be an exaggeration to say that after Guru Gobind Singh it was Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who has taught the Khalsa to live with dignity and die with honour,.
All that needs be said is;
The Shaheed never die but live on, there memory, their courage , their valour another sacrifice llives on as reminder to the cowardly perpetrators that they live on shoes their just cause.
As a Kashmiri and your fellow cousin of the Indus Valley Civilisation I admire Sant jee’s righteous stand.
The struggle for a free Pakistan and a free Kashmir share a common bond and a common enemy as seen in the brutal occupations of our lands.
If both struggles and rights to self determination existed as one voice then together both cousins will be liberated.
India is a facade India’s definition is occupation and we should all protest together everywhere and show the world the true face of occupying brutal India.
HARMAN SINGH’s article:
It is clearly one sided. Sikhs were accorded a ‘privleged position ‘ in india. Before parition they even had ‘reservation’ 15-20% disproportionate to population in med school.
In india, deeply subsidized water/power, created green revolution in panjab to benefit all india not only panjab. After abt 30 yrs Sikhs attained a middle class status. Cheap labours then came from Kashmir and Bihar– these poor hindus were pulled down from Buses and killed in cold blood; Muslims were spared for good/bad.This was ‘terrorism’ in worst form.
How govt should have reacted remains big question —perhaps will never be answered. But hsitory is witness violence breads violence. There is no question that Pakistan was ‘complicit’ in the game for good/bad as india was in Bangladesh.
This not being in defense of Operation blue star or of the follow up sikh massacre in 1000s all over–most tragic massacre in india ever; Politicians were openly involved–NO justice yet. SAD really sad. Despites all this ” current Khalistani” movement is again ‘non starter’;Does not make political or economoc sense except emotional anger that may force the govt to initiate ‘judicial process’-which was needed long time ago.. A separate khalistan is just playing in Pakistan’s hand for no tangivble benfit. Sikhs whose books are replete with ” praise of prophet of islam” besides many sufis etc can play a pivotal role as peacemaker between india and pakistan. Kashmir is not the problem but a symtom of mistrust and mutual hatred.
Many hindus dont recognize sikhism as separate religion nand even govt of india ( correct me if wrong) does not either. With muslim panjab, they share every thing except religious rituals but muslims happened to be their WORST enemies; In fact Sikhism as ” NON sufi KHALSA” evolved as serial confrontations with Moghals starting with Jehangir time and finalised with Guru GOBING singh in Aurangzeb’s time.They claime that it was ” anti muslim” movements to liberate hindus/hindustan– so WRONG. They had joined british and fought with them to suppress ” mutiny” or WAR of Independence; OFF course with sikhs there were muslim pathans/panjabees too helping brtish.
Sikhs should force india for judial process not by Khalistani movement; they could resort to peacefull means for a change.They can and shuld force for recgnitioon as ” separate religion”– but with peacefull movements.
Hamnan ji article is surely informative but one must look at it with perspective,
>>Many hindus dont recognize sikhism as separate religion nand even govt of india ( correct me if wrong) does not eithe
Supreme Court of India has ruled that Sikhism is not part of Hinuism
Of course Sikhism is not part of Hinduism. But nonetheless they are part of Arya Dharma, founded in Bharat. Even if officially not part of Hinduism, the people remains ever united. You don’t need a court ruling for Hindus to sit and eat with the Sikhs in langgars. You don’t need a court ruling for Hindus to read the holy Guru Granth Sahib along with the Sikhs. You don’t need a court ruling for Hindus to build gurudwaras.
This article presents an event long time back, an outdated event. If you want to write, why don’t you write something more recent, like the “renovation” of the Lal Masjid…when the foundamentalist decided to change the interiors of the mosque by bombing certain parts of it. Then the Pakistan army thought the red paint of the mosque has faded, hence decided to paint it with the blood of 154 “visitors” inside the mosque ? This “renovation” of the Lal Masjid resulted in the ending of 10 month freeze in Taliban ceasefire and decided to start again “delightful engagements” with the Pakistan govt by burning down girls schools etc ?
Just compare us with you, while we Hindus and Sikhs sit together and have our famous Jakarta Gurudwara dhaal and roti, you people eat the bullets and bombs that the Lal Masjid foundamentalist feed you till today.
A long time ago. Gen Brar was attacked two weeks ago as revenge
Have you seen this article? It is the truth about us.. and how we are foolish enough not to know who we are…
http://www.kashmirobserver.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11528:unveiling-the-shroud-of-partition-in-the-punjab&catid=28:features&Itemid=57