
‘MO directorate advised Gen Vaidya not to use Army for operation in Golden Temple'
Former Army Chief General VN Sharma (retd) has made a startling revelation that the Military Operations Directorate had advised the then Army Chief General AS Vaidya that the Indian Army should not get involved in any operation to flush out Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his supporters from the Golden Temple as it was a political move.
General VN Sharma has made this statement in the course of an interview to a former Judge Advocate General of the Army, Maj Gen Nilendra Kumar, on a YouTube channel-Lex Consilium Foundation. The interview was uploaded on the channel on June 5, a day ahead of the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star and has generated considerable number of views and comments.
The 95-year-old General VN Sharma was serving as Additional Director General Military Operations (ADGMO) in the Military Operations (MO) directorate at the time Op Blue Star was launched. Lt Gen CN Somanna was the Director General Military Operations (DGMO) at the time while Maj Gen (later Lt Gen) VK Nayar was the other Additional Director General Military Operations in the directorate. Both, Somanna and Nayar have passed away many years back.
Gen Sharma says in the interview that the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi wanted the Army to carry out the operation inside Golden Temple because the Punjab Police had refused to do so. 'Arun Vaidya was called to the Prime Minister's Office and was told that Bhindranwale had to be removed because he was getting too big for his boots, he doesn't listen to anyone so take the Army in. General Vaidya said okay,' Gen Sharma recalls.
He says the Army Chief then arrived at the MO directorate and spoke to the DGMO and the two ADGMOs regarding the task to be done. 'We suggested to him that this was not a correct employment of the Indian Army. We explained that according to the Constitution the Indian Army cannot be used for political purposes by any government,' said Gen Sharma.
He goes on to say that the then PM wanted the Army to do the task because the police had refused. 'So we told General Vaidya that it was not politically expedient because we cannot use the military for political purposes. She did a political stunt to put Bhindranwale there and now she was doing another political stunt to remove him by force using the Army since the police has refused,' says General Sharma in the interview. General Sharma goes on to say that the Army Chief General Vaidya was told my the three senior-most MO directorate officers that some other force like BSF, CRPF should be used and the Army should not intervene.
'He said she is the boss and when the boss says to jump you have to jump. We said no. You are a constitutional authority, the Army Chief, you have to ensure that the constitution is not violated. One option is to go to the Supreme Court and ask them as to whether this is legal or not legal. He said what do you expect me to do. We suggested that he go to her and tell her that it is not Army's job,' said General Sharma.
The former Army Chief then goes on to say that General Vaidya went back to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and told her the view of the MO Directorate. He said that the PM then decided to approach the Western Army Commander Lt Gen K Sundarji directly in order to get the operation conducted since the Chief was reluctant.
'Vaidya's office told Sundarji to go meet the Prime Minister. He (Vaidya) came back to the MO directorate and told this has happened. We said sir 'maaf karo' you have no business to allow an Army Commander to go directly to the Prime Minister,' he said.
General Sharma said the MO directorate was in touch with the staff of the Prime Minister's Office and came to know that General Sundarji had been asked to conduct the operation. 'When he (Sundarji) came out of there we rang him up and said that you may like to step into the MO directorate and discuss this issue with us. He said I am not interested in you people, I have got my orders and I am going to do it,' said General Sharma.
The former Army Chief further says that the decision to use 9 Infantry Division, headquartered in Meerut was that of General Sundarji himself and not the MO directorate. He added that Sundarji's first choice was to approach GOC 15 Division (Maj Gen Jamwal) to do the task but he refused. 'Sundarji asked him to produce a battalion of infantry and some support some tanks or something to take on this job, he refused. He said it was a political situation and not for Army to get intervened,' said General Sharma. He says General Sundarji thereafter chose 9 Division commanded by Major General KS Brar and that one of the reasons was that he wanted Sikhs conducting Operation Blue Star and taking part in actual action on ground.
During the course of the interview General Sharma also holds forth on the ethos of Indian Army training and obeying a lawful command. 'The Indian Army officers training during command is to be an independent officer. If you find something wrong don't do it. It is not a question of disobedience of orders. It is a question of obeying orders despite their better sense, because they are yes men and they want their promotion,' he said.
General VN Sharma's remarks are bound to create a stir and the aspect of MO directorate opposing the use of Army has never been discussed in public.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India Gazette
24 minutes ago
- India Gazette
Sri Lanka Army Chief pays tribute at War Memorial, reviews Guard of Honour in Delhi
New Delhi [India], June 11 (ANI): Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, paid tribute to Indian soldiers at the National War Memorial in New Delhi and reviewed a ceremonial Guard of Honour at South Block, reflecting the strong defence ties between India and Sri Lanka. Taking to X, ADG PI - Indian Army stated, 'Lieutenant General BKGM Lasantha Rodrigo, Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, in a solemn ceremony, paid tributes to the #Bravehearts by laying a wreath at National War Memorial #NWM, #NewDelhi. He also reviewed an impressive Guard of Honour at the #SouthBlock.' The post added, 'The ceremonies reflected the shared military ethos and camaraderie between the two nations, underscoring the strong and enduring defence ties between India and Sri Lanka.' Reinforcing these strong bilateral relations, last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with a delegation of parliamentary colleagues from Sri Lanka who were visiting India for the PRIDE Capacity Building Program. He appreciated their condemnation of terrorism and their expressions of sympathy regarding the Pahalgam attack, highlighting the growing mutual trust and cooperation beyond military engagement. He also discussed India's Neighbourhood First policy, emphasising the importance of strong people-to-people ties in fostering regional cooperation and development. Jaishankar reiterated India's commitment to supporting Sri Lanka's development and progress, underscoring the close and friendly relations between the two countries. In a post shared on X, Jaishankar said, 'Had a warm interaction with parliamentary colleagues from Sri Lanka visiting India for the PRIDE Capacity Building Program. Appreciate their condemnation of terrorism and expressions of sympathy on the Pahalgam attack. Discussed our Neighbourhood First policy, underpinned by strong people to people ties. Reiterated our commitment to Sri Lanka's development and progress.' The interaction comes amid a broader diplomatic outreach by India in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor - a military operation launched on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian civilians. The attack was carried out by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists. As part of its response, India targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of over 100 terrorists affiliated with groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen. India and Sri Lanka share a longstanding bond rooted in over 2,500 years of civilisational ties. Sri Lanka holds a central place in India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy and the MAHASAGAR vision - Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. This deep historical and cultural connection has evolved into a multifaceted bilateral partnership covering a wide array of sectors. As part of India's capacity-building efforts, nearly 710 scholarships are offered annually to Sri Lankan students. Under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Program, 402 fully-funded training slots are provided to officials and eligible citizens. A Cooperation Agreement also enables the training of 1,500 Sri Lankan civil servants over five years at the National Centre for Good Governance - with four batches trained in 2024 alone. Further cooperation in 2024 included a special course for 23 Sri Lankan diplomats and officials at SSIFS and training for over 2,000 plantation school teachers in STEM subjects between August and October. Technical expertise is also extended through Indian institutions under the 'Study in India' Program. (ANI)
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
US invites Pakistan Army Chief Munir for Army Day celebrations on June 14
Washington likely to raise terror concerns and China-Pakistan ties during General Munir's visit for US Army's 250th anniversary Himanshu Thakur New Delhi Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (CAOS), General Syed Asim Munir, has been invited by the United States to attend the 250th anniversary of the US Army on June 14, the same day as US President Donald Trump's 79th birthday. General Munir is expected to arrive in Washington, DC on June 12, according to a report by CNN-News18. The visit, while ceremonial on the surface, carries deeper strategic implications. The US is expected to use the occasion to press Pakistan to act against terrorist groups operating against India, especially in the wake of recent tensions triggered by Operation Sindoor, India's retaliatory strike following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22. Strategic overtones and China concerns Although framed as part of a broader military celebration, the invitation to Munir is viewed as part of Washington's recalibration of its regional strategy. The US is reportedly concerned about Pakistan's deepening economic and military ties with China, particularly through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Economic backdrop On May 14, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) disbursed a $1.023 billion tranche under the Extended Fund Facility, following a broader understanding between New Delhi and Islamabad after Operation Sindoor. Pakistan's Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb presented the national budget for FY 2025–26 on June 10, with a notable 20 per cent increase in defence spending to PKR 2.55 trillion ($9 billion). The budget reflects heightened security concerns following the cross-border conflict with India. The total budget outlay stands at PKR 17.573 trillion ($62 billion), marking a 6.9 per cent decrease from the previous year. Notably, military pensions worth PKR 563 billion ($1.99 billion) remain outside the formal defence allocation. Pakistan's public debt reached PKR 76,000 billion in the first nine months of the fiscal year, with projected GDP growth of just 2.7 per cent, far behind the regional average of 5.8 per cent reported by the Asian Development Bank for 2024.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Donald Trump to No Kings protesters: Block my parade and you'll be met with force
Trump warned that anyone protesting during his military parade on Saturday will face strong action. The parade is for his birthday and the Army's 250th anniversary. He also blamed violent protests in L.A. on paid troublemakers, claims report. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Trump attacks protestors Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads FAQs Trump said on Tuesday that anyone trying to protest during his military parade on Saturday will be met with 'very big force'. The parade is for Trump's birthday and to mark 250 years of the U.S. Army. He spoke about this while sitting in the Oval Office, after a quick meeting about wildfire and forest management, as per started talking about the recent L.A. protests against ICE raids, where some people got violent. He said Saturday will be an 'amazing day' with tanks, planes, and many displays. He said it's a way to celebrate the Army's big anniversary and also America's victory in World War II, unlike other countries, according to the report by claimed America never celebrated WWII properly, unlike Europe. He repeated again that any protesters will be faced with 'very big force'. He said people protesting on Saturday are just 'people who hate our country.' Trump has often called for strong action against protests, which he sees as attacks on himself, as per 2020, after George Floyd's murder, Trump got angry when it was reported he was taken to a White House bunker during protests. He even asked General Mark Milley why soldiers couldn't just 'shoot protesters in the legs.' Just before the threat, he talked about maybe using the 1807 Insurrection Act to send the army to stop protests in L.A., as stated in the report by asked if he'll use it, he said, 'If there's an insurrection, I would certainly invoke it.' Trump said protesters in L.A. were caught breaking concrete blocks and throwing them at police and soldiers. He said those protesters are now in custody, thanks to the National Guard he sent, not the Governor, as per blamed the violence on 'paid insurrectionists' and 'paid troublemakers.' He also said L.A. would be burning if the National Guard didn't go in. Trump said he didn't ask California Governor Gavin Newsom before sending troops, according to the last talked to Newsom a day before and told him he was doing a 'bad job' during the unrest. He said Newsom's handling caused 'a lot of death and potential death,' and again said without help, L.A. would be on fire, as mentioned in the reports by said any protest during his parade would be met with 'very big force.'He blamed paid troublemakers and said they were causing violence.