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Revision as of 16:50, 9 May 2004 by 172.191.143.125 (talk)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was the leader of Damdami taksal, aSikh organization based in the Punjab. He became famous in the late 1970s as a religious preacher. He also got involved in state politics and revived the demand of a separate Sikh state. His influence grew so fast that the political leadership saw him as danger to themselves. The need for a sikh state was important as the Indian government was oppressing Sikhs around India and slowly trying to make them forget their heritage by stamping out the Panjabi language from schools and degrading Sikhs in Bollywood films.
Bhindranwale established his headquarters in the Golden Temple, located in Amritsar and began fortifying the complex with arms as they knew the government would try to uproot his following. The Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, decided to storm the temple to have him evicted, on a day when many sikh pilgrims would be present to commemorate the martyrdom of their fifth guru. In order to flush out one man, a 15,000 strong contingent of the Indian armed forces attacked the golden temple with heavy artillery and tanks. A fierce battle broke out in which hundreds of people died including Bhindranwale. Women and children were also killed by the Indian army. Bhindranwale became a martyr in the eyes of people around the world who valued the ideals of truth, bravery and justice.