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Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was the leader of Damdami taksal, a Sikh organization based in the Punjab. He became famous in the late 1970s as a religious preacher. He was brought into politics by the son of Indira Ghandi, who wanted to use him as a 'puppet leader' to subdue the Sikh people. After he got involved in state politics, the demand of a separate Sikh state was called for, as promises by the Indian government had not been fulfilled. These included autonomy for the Sikh people, and an alliance with the Indian goevernment as partners and equals. He preached the teachings of the Sikh Gurus, and asked the people to stand up to the oppression they faced.

He established his headquarters in the Golden Temple also known as Harmindar Sahib, located in Amritsar. Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi, decided to storm the temple have him evicted, and sent Indian troops and heavy machinery and arms to remove him. A fierce battle broke out in which thousand of people died. Many of these people were Sikhs who were not allowed to leave the Harminder Sahib by Indian troops, and were indiscriminately gunned down. Bhindranwale is said to have been one of them.

The press were let back in Punjab after the 36 hour black out and shown the arms they supposedly recovered from the site. They then released pictures of aftermath of the battle.

In retaliation for the henious act Indira Gandhi was assasinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards. For the murders of thousands of innocent Sikhs, she paid the ultimate price, and her alone.

Soon after cadres of Bajrang Dal, Hindu group linked to VHP, joined the call and caused violence upon thousands of Sikh and places of worship.

Angered and hurt by events many Sikhs turned to militancy and became fighters for Khalistan. Some Sikhs who crossed into Pakistan to seek refuge were given weapons and training by the Pakistani ISI and backed by the American CIA who was covertly fighting against Soviet allied Indian. The Indian government then wiped out most of the resistence by sending its armed forces into the Punjab, northern India and other places with large Sikh communities. Many thousands are still imprisoned to this day, without charge, some 20 years later.

Bhindranwale in the other hand became a shaheed (martyr) in eyes of Sikhs, he stated "Physical death I do not fear, but death of conscience is a sure death". He is a legend amongst Sikhs and is considered one of their greatest 20th century heroes. To this day Bhindranwale is now referred to as Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. In one of Sant Bhindranwale's famous speeches he stated if the golden temple was attacked it would lay the foundation stone of Khalistan.

• Punjab (India)