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| It was an utterly unequal battle fought between a handful of Sikh defenders led by Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale assisted by Major General Shahbeg Singh and Bhai Amrik Singh versus the might of the Indian Army headed by Lt. General Krishnaswamy Sunderjit assisted by Lt. General Ranjit Singh Dyal and Kuldeep Singh Brar. The Sikh fighters arms and ammunition were limited in comparison to the ones possessed by the Indian Army.
| | #REDIRECT [[Operation Blue Star]] |
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| Light Machine Guns and some old sten-guns (old British machineguns), some carbines of 30 calibre Rifles, 303 Rifles, revolvers and pistols of various calibre sand some hand grenades .And the one Chinese rocket that destoyed the armored peronnel carrier, sent to wipe out the machine gun nests that guarded the Akaal Takht, which quickly taught the attackers that heavy tanks were going to be needed. Tanks heavy enough to grind their tracks into the marble of the Parkrama that endless peaceful pilgrims have walked for centuries.
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| And of course the Sikh in the Akaal Takhat, who were the first to live in the Takhat Since the Guru who had it built and first called for Miri and Piri, had their most deadly weapon that day--the same weapon that [[Baba Deep Singh]] had had that day when his head fell on the very same Parkrama attacked so many years before--the line had been crossed and the Shabad of 'then' was as real to them in 1984 as it was before:
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| :"Jo to praym khaylan ka chaao, sir dhar talee galee mayree aao."
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| :Those who wish to play the game of love (to follow the Sikh path), come to me with your head in your palm.
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| :"It maarag pair dhareejai, sir deejai kaan na keejai."
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| :If you wish your feet to travel this path, don't delay in accepting to give your head.
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| What chance did the Indian army, which was equipped with all kinds of heavy and sophisticated weapons which included Main Battle Tanks "Vijayanta", howitzesr, heavy guns and canons using twenty-pounder shells, mortars, machine guns, light machine guns and other pieces of artillery '''normally used in a field war''' against an enemy country, have to win the other battle fought that day?
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| Besides, the army had stun-gas bombs, incendiary bombs, highly explosive hand grenades. Armed Personnel Carriers. Armoured Carriers and a lot of other sophisticated weaponry. The Army used Russian made helicopters too.
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| The numerical strength of the Sikh militants was also miserably insignificant in comparison to that of the Indian Army. The Sikh fighters were not more than two hundred whereas the Army's numerical strength fighting them in the Complex was at least seven thousand.
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| The Sikh fighters had no line of communication and source of supply. They were totally cut off from the state. the country and the world. They were completely besieged in the Golden Temple Complex, particularly inside the Akal Takht. Supply of electricity and water was cut off. They had no reserves to reinforce their positions. They had nothing to eat but roasted grains, nothing to drink but their own sweat oozed from their bodies due to scorching heat. They had no place to answer the call of nature. They could not sleep for seven days and seven nights. They were exhausted and weared out under these horrible conditions. On the other hand Indian Army had all sorts of provisions, facilities, reserves and what not. Yet the Sikhs fought gallantly and demonstrated their remarkable valour, courage and fighting skill. Yet they held the well equipped Indian Army at bay for five days and gave it a bloody reply, the reply which the Army would remember for ever. Had the militant Sikhs been equally armed, had their numerical strength been even one-tenths of the Indian Army, they^vould have pushed the Army up to Delhi or even beyond Jamuna.
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| The unequal battle, that the handful supporters of Sant Bhindranwale fought has been recorded in the golden letters in the history of the Sikhs. The entire credit for this exemplary valour goes to Sant Bhindranwale who had inspired the Sikhs who filled their will to fight for their rights and defend their faith.
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| Is it any exaggeration to say that after Guru Gobind Singh it was Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale who has taught the Khalsa to live with dignity and die with honour.
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| He surrendered himself completely to the will of God; his faith remained unshaken; whatever God ordained tasted sweet to him. Was he not as a true man of God convinced that all that happened is by the command of the Lord; and that his duty was to accept His command cheerfully.
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| Has the battle for respect and equality that he was fighting for been lost? Are swords really mightier than words. He and his partners, the shaheeds of those days and before, have done their part in getting India's and the world's attention. What are the next steps?
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