June 1984 - Attack on Sikhi

Series Introduction

For Sikhs around the world, June 1984 is a turning point that reshaped the community’s relationship with the Indian state, deepened diasporic identity, and left a lasting wound that is still felt today.

In June 1984, the Indian Army launched Operation Blue Star, a military assault on Sri Harmandir Sahib (sometimes referred to as the “Golden Temple”), the most sacred site in the Sikh faith. The attack, which included tanks and artillery, took place during one of the holiest times of the Sikh calendar. Thousands of Sikhs were killed. The Akal Takht, a key seat of Sikh spiritual and political authority, was heavily damaged. Rare manuscripts and artifacts of Sikh heritage were destroyed.

Among those who gave their lives defending the sanctity of the complex was Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale, a spiritual leader and prominent voice speaking out against injustice, alongside many shaheeds who stood with him. Their sacrifice is remembered not only for its courage but for its enduring role in Sikh resistance, clarity, and defiance.

This was not just a military operation — it was an attack on Sikh sovereignty, memory, and identity. This was an attack on Sikhs. This was an attack on Sikhi. But even in the face of such brutality, the Sikh response was not submission- it was Chardi Kala, the unwavering spirit to remain in high spirits, to resist, and to rise.

In the months that followed, state violence continued, culminating in the massacre of Sikhs across India. To this day, there has been no justice for those killed, and little acknowledgment of the scale and coordination of the violence.

The impact of June 1984 continues to reverberate through Sikhs thought, art, activism, and memory. It raised difficult questions, not just about justice and accountability, but about identity, power, and belonging. And it revealed something deeper too: the resilience of a community that continues to remember and organise.

This series will explore what happened in June 1984. We’ll reflect on the figures who stood their ground, the connections between the violence of June and November 1984, and how these events continue to shape Sikh identity, diaspora memory, and ongoing demands for justice, including the right to imagine a different future and calls for the establishment of Khalistan.

This is not about reopening old wounds, as the wounds were never closed. It is about remembering, resisting, and refusing silence. It is about keeping alive a conversation that they are so keen to bury.

Memory is resistance.

This series is written with the intention of being accessible and understandable to those outside the Sikh community. If we’re to challenge the dominant narrative, we can’t speak only to ourselves. Let’s not stay in the echo chamber-educate beyond the panth.