While fighting against army hordes from June 5 to 7 last, Sikhs inside the Golden Temple Complex at Amritsar were excersing their legitimate right of self-defence. This conclusion is based on the facts revealed and assessment made by Lt-Gen S.K. Sinha (Retd.), when he was GOC-in-C of the Western Command.

"The army action was not the last resort as Prime Minister Indira Gandhi would have us believe, decided upon toward May-end (1984). It had been on her mind for more than 18 months."

Said the General, that "when he was GOC-in-C of Western Command, he got a call around 10 PM from someone in Delhi that a decision had been taken at the highest level that the army should undertake the arrest of Sant Bhindranwale. Nothing was heard after the General told the caller that in matters like this he would like to hear from either the Chief of the Army or the Defense Minister."

This was toward 1981 end when Darbara Singh was Chief Minister i.e. nearly 30 months before the Army actually struck at Amritsar.

"Again, when Sant Bhindranwale went into Mehta Chowk," adds General Sinha, "there was a request to the Army to supply armoured personal carriers (PAC) to the police to facilitate his arrest.

This was long before the Akalis launched their morcha in August 1982. Shortly after the morcha, the Army began rehearsals of a commando raid near Chakrata Cantonment in the Doon Valley, where a complete replica of the Golden Temple Complex had been built.

"Another training involving Aviation Research Centre Commandos, was given in the Sarsawa area and Yamuna bed in helicopters converted into gunships. This plan, earmarked for implementation last year and then in April this year, was given up as it had leaked out to the Sikh militants.

"In view of these military preparations, if Sant Bhindranwale and his men decided to defend the Golden Temple with all their might and means, no one can and should blame them.

"You are duty-bound to do your all when you know someone is going to raid your house. In this case, the house was the holiest Sikh shrine in the world.

"All you have to match the adversary's weapons with your own weapons, if not, more fire power. This is acknowledged rule of combat. Mrs. Gandhi contends that arms were being collected by Sant Bhindranwale for the last one year. But this was much after she herself had drawn up plans for Army action against Golden Temple and other gurdwaras.

"In December last year (1983) two trenches were dug by Sant's men in front of Teja Singh Samudhari Hall within the holy complex but he was persuaded to fill them up. This proves that till then no responsible Akali leaders were prepared for an armed showdown with the Government."

Fortification of the complex, according to SGPC Secretary Bhan Singh, started from February 17, this year. And this also after CRPF and BSF units had resorted to unprovoked firing and had begun converting the buildings on the periphery of the temple into bunkers and fortresses. This action by the Sikhs was just in response to the provocation provided by Government's para-military forces.

Again, toward May-end this year CRPF and BSF units deliberately fired 10,000 bullets a day on the temple area for more than a week in order to find out from the return firing, as has been officially admitted now, where the terrorists fortifications were located and what kind of equipment they had. This was given a deliberate design to escalate the conflict.

No Sikh worth his salt would allow an easy entry into the Golden Temple area to any armed forces. It is his sacred duty to smash the enemy's teeth and sacrifice his life while fighting. This is what Sant Bhindranwale and his men did. In the best tradition of Sikh warriors, they fought to the last bullet and their last breath.

For the same reason hundreds of men, women and children, who had come to the Golden Temple as pilgrims decided to lay down their lives when they saw the army invading the holy area.

Before this open clash of arms there were hardly five percent of Sikhs who supported Sant Bhindranwale's utterances and actions. But now the Government has made him a hero in the eyes of all Sikhs. Now everyone, even his detractors, hail him as a martyr of the same genre as Baba Deep Singh who had fought against Ahmad Shah Abdali's marauders.

Sant Bhindranwale's previous commissions and omissions stand washed by his making the supreme sacrifice of life for a noble cause. The present government shall live to rue the day of June 5, 1984.