On Operation Blue Star Anniversary, Sikhs Reaffirm Commitment to Khalistan Movement

On the solemn occasion marking the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star, Sikhs across the globe, particularly in Amritsar, reiterated their unwavering determination to continue the struggle for Khalistan, a proposed independent Sikh homeland. The echoes of “Khalistan Zindabad” rang out powerfully at the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of Sikhism, symbolizing both remembrance and resistance.

The annual observance of this day serves as a painful reminder of June 1984, when the Indian armed forces launched Operation Blue Star, a massive military offensive inside the Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar. The operation, carried out under the orders of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, aimed to eliminate Sikh leader Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers, who had taken residence in the temple premises. However, the assault quickly escalated into what many Sikhs and human rights observers have described as a large-scale massacre and a deliberate act of religious desecration.

During the multi-day assault, thousands of innocent devotees, including women and children, were killed or injured. The Akal Takht, a sacred symbol of Sikh sovereignty and spirituality, was badly damaged, further deepening the wounds of the global Sikh community. To this day, Operation Blue Star remains a deeply traumatic event etched in the collective memory of Sikhs, viewed not just as a military operation but as a calculated attack on their faith, culture, and identity.

On this anniversary, Kashmiri leaders and civil society voices expressed solidarity with the Sikh community, recognizing the shared legacy of suffering under what they describe as Indian state oppression. Kashmiris, who themselves have faced decades of military occupation and human rights violations, see parallels between their struggle and that of the Sikhs. The pain of 1984 is not confined to Sikhs alone, many Kashmiris assert, but resonates with all oppressed communities resisting Indian authoritarianism.

At the heart of the Khalistan movement is the enduring legacy of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the charismatic Sikh leader who championed Sikh rights, religious identity, and political autonomy. Widely regarded by his followers as a martyr and visionary, Bhindranwale was killed during Operation Blue Star but continues to inspire generations of Sikhs who refuse to forget the atrocities of 1984.

Supporters at the Golden Temple and in diaspora communities declared that they would continue to follow the path laid down by Bhindranwale, rejecting assimilation into what they see as Hindutva-driven Indian nationalism. For them, the demand for Khalistan is not merely symbolic—it represents a real and enduring aspiration for justice, sovereignty, and the protection of Sikh heritage.

Following the military assault in Amritsar, anti-Sikh riots erupted across India, especially in Delhi, where an estimated 30,000 Sikhs were murdered in cold blood. Numerous reports and human rights investigations have accused Hindu nationalist mobs, often with the complicity or inaction of Indian security forces, of targeting Sikh homes, businesses, and gurdwaras. To date, very few perpetrators have been brought to justice, and many community leaders continue to demand an international inquiry into what they term a genocide.

The Sikh diaspora, particularly in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, has been instrumental in keeping the memory of the 1984 massacres alive through educational campaigns, protests, and advocacy at international forums.

For many Sikh activists and intellectuals, the struggle for Khalistan is part of a larger resistance against Hindutva ideology, which they argue seeks to homogenize India’s diverse religious and cultural landscape under a majoritarian Hindu framework. The increasing militarization of politics, suppression of minority voices, and rewriting of historical narratives are seen as direct threats to Sikh autonomy and religious freedom.

As one speaker at the Golden Temple remarked, “This is not just a battle for a separate homeland. It is a battle to preserve our dignity, our religion, and our right to self-determination in a country that has repeatedly tried to erase us.”

The commemoration of Operation Blue Star’s 41st anniversary was not only a tribute to those who perished in June 1984 but also a powerful reaffirmation of the Sikh community’s resolve to keep the Khalistan movement alive. Amid chants of protest and remembrance, one message rang clear: Sikhs will never forget the past, and they will never give up the fight for justice and freedom.

As regional tensions rise and minority rights continue to be challenged in India, the call for Khalistan remains a deeply emotional and political issue, one that is unlikely to fade from the global stage anytime soon.