Kasauli:

Was Operation Blue Star avoidable ? Was it a botched up operation ? What was it all about ?

All such questions came alive in a scintillating session at the Khushwant Singh Litfest in Kasauli which thrashed out the entire gamut of the operation that decisively changed the course of events subsequently not just for Punjab but for the country.

The session on the book, Turmoil in Punjab, Before and After Blue Star written by former Punjab chief secretary RI Singh , IAS (rtd), anchored by Gul Panag had an animated discussion on the turbulent times in Punjab, mainly focused around the Operation Blue Star.

RI Singh explained  how the entire administrative system was handed over to the Army in the entire state and how the entire communication system was paralysed overnight to give entire power to the Army.

Singh, who was deputy commissioner , Amritsar, during the Blue Star operation clarified that his services were requisitioned in a normal administrative manner since his predecessor had proceeded on ex-India leave already.

He underlined that if at all the Operation should have been executed with more precision to ensure that the Sikh sentiments were not hurt.

Justifying his acceptance of the Padma Shri award he said it was bestowed on him for his administrative services which was purely a professional call.

Senior media persons Kanwar Sandhu, who was a co-panelist, emphasised that the civil administration failed dismally to discharge its duty during the Blue Star and abjured all its powers and responsibilities to allow the Army a free hand.

Sandhu said it was failure of the state governance that allowed 1978 Baisakhi Day voilence in Amritsar causing death of 13 persons. It was a glaring administrative failure, he said, that no subsequent enquiry was ordered into the incident and not even to the Blue Star operation.