'Khalistan would have been in existence today, but for the army'

March 20, 2023 12:05

Then lieutenant colonel Israr Rahim Khan at the Golden Temple

As a massive manhunt has been launched to arrest pro-Khalistan radical Amritpal Singh in Punjab, the situation brings back memories of the rise of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the militant who subsequently moved into the Golden Temple with armed terrorists in December 1983.

The Indian Army launched Operation Blue Star six months later to flush out the terrorists.

"We were in a built-up area that extended from the basement to the 2nd-3rd floor. There were rooms after rooms, alleys after alley -- everything was fortified with weapons," recalls retired Brigadier Israr Rahim Khan, commanding officer, 10 Guards, which was the first to enter the Golden Temple. Read the interview with Archana Masih/Rediff.com here.

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