Question

Discuss the consequences of the Khalistan Movement.

Answer 1

1. Practically, the whole Union List and a good number of items of the Concurrent List were thus ousted from the control of the Central government.

2. The other Sikhs did not support the Akali demand. The Akhalis failed to win over the support of the Sikh President of India. They could not win over the Sikh Chief Minister of the state of Punjab to their side.

3. In the 1980s, some of the members of Khalistan turned to militancy.

4. This resulted in counter militancy operations by the Indian security forces.

5. In one such operation, Operation Blue Star in June 1984 Indian forces entered the Holy Golden Temple to overpower the militants who took shelter there. Death of Bhindranwale and Amrik Singh. The operation led to the loss of lives on both sides. The Sikhs started widespread criticism of the Indian government. In the meantime, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated.

6. There were large scale disturbances started and a number of Sikhs were killed.

7. After the assassination of Indira Gandhi, an agreement called the ‘Punjab Accord’ or Rajiv – Longwall Accord took the plate. Longowal was assassinated.

8. It was then decided that the AnandapurSaheb Resolution would be referred to as the Sarkaria Commission. It was also decided that some Hindi-speaking areas of Punjab would be transferred to Haryana. The accord recognized the religious, territorial and economic demands of the Sikh that were thought to be non-negotiable under Indira Gandhi’s tenure.

9. Operation Black Thunder was launched by the Central Government inl988 to flush out remaining militants in a more organised way.