संवाद # 100: Ex-Khalistani की कहानी - Op BlueStar में Indian Army से लड़ाई, Pakistan गये, फिर मोहभंग

Vaad

Kuljinder Dhillon is a common man from the Majha region in Punjab. Like tens of thousands of youth, he also got swept away by the Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale-led Khalistan movement in late 1970s and early 1980s. He was inside the Golden Temple when the Indian Army launched a military operation codenamed 'Blue Star' to take control of the holy complex back from Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was using the Sikhism's holiest site as a launchpad for his terrorism and anti-India activities. Kuljinder Dhillon actively participated in the battle with Indian army on 4th & 5th June 1984. He was arrested later from the Golden Temple but managed to flee from a hospital where he was referred to for treating injuries inflicted by a grenade attack. He later fled to Pakistan in search of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, believing like lakhs of other Sikhs that 'Sant' was hiding in Pakistan. Kuljinder Dhillon later got involved in smuggling activities across the border but was caught few years later. Ultimately, he got disillusioned with the Khalistan movement and is a strong opponent of the same now. His journey from extremism to mainstream is an important one that needed to be documented. Though, Kuljinder Dhillon lives like a family man in Punjab, he is constantly under the threat from Khalistanis who have made attempts on his life for speaking truth.