Operation Blue Star was political, hasty decision: V K Singh

Former Army Chief Gen V K Singh today said Operation Blue Star, carried out in 1984 to flush out militants from the Golden Temple, was a "hasty political decision" and claimed the army was unwilling to carry it out.

Singh, who was a major at the time of the operation, told

reporters here that the decision to send the Army in the Golden Temple was a hasty one, since the Army never liked to lift gun against its own people. Without naming the then Chief of the Army (Gen A S Vaidya) he said, "The then Army chief had vehemently said 'no' to initiate Army action against people belonging to the nation, but he had to carry out the order of his political bosses." Singh had come here for a meeting prior to beginning his march under the banner of 'Janlok Tantra Morcha' on March 31 which would pass through Punjab and later enter in Haryana, Rajasthan and West UP.

He said that "such wrong decisions" effect not only the army but even people of the nation. Singh said, "At that time, in 1984, I don't know how political bosses put the situation before the Army and people of the nation, whereupon pressure was mounted on Army to attack the Golden Temple. To give orders to army to attack Golden Temple was highly unfortunate."

Operation Blue Star was carried out at Golden Temple to flush out militants, led by Jarnail Singh Bhinderwalla who was also shot dead by the Army. Several militants, armymen and civilians were also killed in the exchange of fire. On the present law and order situation prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir he said, "To involve army in the J-K is not wrong since there is a proxy war and people from other country were adding fuel to make the law and order situation worse."

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