Operation Blue Star: The True Story

by K.S. Brar

Book Overview

Operation Blue Star is one of the most controversial, hotly-debated military operations in the world and a turning point in contemporary Indian history. This is an account by the Army officer who led... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 8174760687
• ISBN13: 9788174760685
• Release Date: February 2000
• Publisher: UBS Publishers
• Length: 173 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.7" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

A soldier's view

Lt.Gen. Kuldeep Brar accomplished the most thankless assignment in the history in modern India. The Indian army was never proud of Operation Bluestar and Lt.Gen. Brar, being a Sikh himself hated the fact that army was ordered to fight it's own people. Most experts were critical of the army action but was there any other option left in dealing with the menace posed by Bhindranwale. Why was Bhindrenwale allowed to occupy and live in the Akal Takht along with his fanatic followers with automatic weapons, grenades etc. The holiest shrine was turned into a military bunker and none of the head priests or supporters came out against this desecration. Even a country like Saudi Arabia in 1979 used military force during the bloody two week seige of the Grand Mosque in Mecca against its armed Islamic dissidents. This book is an eye opener to all the exagerated accounts and rumouring that came out after the operation. This book has to be evaluated pragmatically though its hard no not dwell on this incident without emotion. The whole Punjab militancy problem that was a creation of an incompetant, corrupt and indecisive government & civil administration; Lt.Gen. Brar and the Indian army soldiers who gave up their lives only performed their duty towards the nation. By rejecting militancy and seperatists ideals emanating from a few Sikhs in western countries, the Sikhs of India have redeemed themselves as the most patriotic and progressive communty.

Objective Viewpoint

Gen KS Brar, a sikh himself, was chosen to lead this thankless and foolish effort called Operation Bluestar. Brar discusses the background of the operation with an objective eye of a soldier. As he understands it, the operation was necessitated when Bhindranwale and his band fortified themselves in this holy place and started ruling Punjab by issuing murder decrees. Being a sikh and coming from an Indian army family, I can say that this is only partially true. In hindsight, Bluestar should have been a police action like Black Thunder. What the book doesn't bring out as clearly is the clumsy effort of the army (that lacked any kind of intelligence input) to carry out the operation. The blame for this operation rests solely on Indira Gandhi who let the situation deteriorate to such a state that the operation had to be contemplated. The book is a necessary read for anyone following Punjab politics if only because it comes from the actual soldier who carried out the operation rather than some hatemongers from Canada who also call themselves Sikh.

My Opinions on this TRUE STORY

I am a SIKH guy and I know how the operation of BLUE STAR affected my life and the Sikh religion. This book has all the things in it about the Operation. This book was banded in India because it has the real face of Indian government that how the Hindus attacked the Sikh's holiest shrine Golden Temple to stop the movement of Khalistan, the homeland of Sikhism. I love this book and I recommend everyone to buy this book to recognize stupid Indian face.