Editing Indian National Congress (section)

====Punjab crisis====
Gandhi's premiership witnessed increasing turmoil in [[Punjab, India|Punjab]], with demands for [[Khalistan|Sikh autonomy]] by [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]] and his militant followers.<ref name=operation>{{cite news|title=Operation Blue Star 1984|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-7-things-you-need-to-know-about-operation-blue-star-1993952|access-date=25 June 2014|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|agency=[[Dainik Bhaskar]]|publisher=Deepak Rathi|date=6 June 2014}}</ref> In 1983, Bhindranwale with his armed followers headquartered themselves in the [[Harmandir Sahib|Golden Temple]] in [[Amritsar]] and started accumulating weapons.<ref name="telegraph report">{{cite news|title=1984: Operation Blue Star|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10881115/Operation-Blue-Star-How-an-Indian-army-raid-on-the-Golden-Temple-ended-in-disaster.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10881115/Operation-Blue-Star-How-an-Indian-army-raid-on-the-Golden-Temple-ended-in-disaster.html |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|access-date=25 June 2014|work=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=6 June 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In June 1984, after several futile negotiations, Gandhi ordered the [[Indian Army]] to enter the Golden Temple to establish control over the complex and remove Bhindranwale and his armed followers. This event is known as [[Operation Blue Star]].<ref name="blue star">{{cite news|title=Operation Blue Star|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/operation-blue-star-the-untold-story/article4798102.ece|access-date=25 June 2014|work=The Hindu|date=10 June 2013}}</ref> On 31 October 1984, two of Gandhi's bodyguards, [[Satwant Singh]] and [[Beant Singh (assassin)|Beant Singh]], [[assassination of Indira Gandhi|shot her]] with their service weapons in the garden of the prime minister's residence in response to her authorisation of Operation Blue Star.<ref name="telegraph report" /> Gandhi was due to be interviewed by British actor [[Peter Ustinov]], who was filming a documentary for Irish television.<ref name=assassination>{{cite news|title=1984: Indian prime minister shot dead|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/october/31/newsid_2464000/2464423.stm|access-date=23 June 2014|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=31 October 1984}}</ref> Her assassination prompted the [[1984 anti-Sikh riots]], during which 3,000–17,000 people were killed.<ref name=violence>{{cite news|title=Violence follows Gandhi killing|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/|publisher=[[BBC News]]|access-date=23 June 2014}}</ref><ref name="SAGE">{{cite book |last=Joseph |first=Paul |title=The Sage Encyclopedia of War: Social Science Perspectives |date=11 October 2016 |publisher=Sage |isbn=978-1483359885 |page=433 |quote=around 17,000 Sikhs were burned alive or killed}}</ref><ref name="telegraph">{{cite news |last1=Nelson |first1=Dean |date=30 January 2014 |title=Delhi to reopen inquiry in to massacre of Sikhs in 1984 riots |website=The Daily Telegraph|location=London |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10607451/Delhi-to-reopen-inquiry-in-to-massacre-of-Sikhs-in-1984-riots.html |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=3 May 2016 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10607451/Delhi-to-reopen-inquiry-in-to-massacre-of-Sikhs-in-1984-riots.html |archive-date=12 January 2022}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Jagdish Tytler's role in 1984 anti-Sikh riots to be re-investigated |url=http://www.ndtv.com/cheat-sheet/jagdish-tytlers-role-in-1984-anti-sikh-riots-to-be-re-investigated-518648 |access-date=3 May 2016 |publisher=NDTV}}</ref> Congress Party MP, [[Sajjan Kumar]], was convicted in two cases for instigating and leading a mob to attack and murder Sikh civilians during the Anti-Sikh riots in New Delhi.<ref name=toi-Sajjan-conviction>{{cite web | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/anti-sikh-riots-delhi-court-rejects-political-motivation-claims-finds-sajjan-kumar-guilty-of-murdering-father-son-duo/articleshow/118201773.cms | date=13 Feb 2025 | work = [[The Times of India]] | title=Anti-Sikh riots: Court finds Sajjan Kumar guilty of murdering father-son duo}}</ref>