With the election commission finalizing the dates for the next year’s poll in Punjab, I finally found myself motivated enough to write a review for a book I wanted to discuss about ever since reading it few weeks ago. The book in question is Amritsar: Mrs. Gandhi's Last Battle (1985), written by the renowned scribe and former Chief of Bureau, BBC, New Delhi, Mark Tully and co-authored by Satish Jacob.
As the title suggests, it not only provides an insight to the events that led to operation bluestar, and its aftermath, but also a glance to the history of Punjab after independence and the consequences of the decisions made by our egoistic leaders. In true respect, it was a case study of “The Butterfly Effect”, where in a small ripple can affect the course of history.
Most of us know what operation bluestar was about, either told by our elders who witnessed to the events first hand or vicariously, or from the news channels who sporadically and unwillingly bring it up whenever a protest pertaining to the aftermath occurs. I always wanted to read an impartial and detailed documentation on the events that had led to the final act and the pogrom later on. It was natural when I first heard about the book, especially the author who wrote it, I knew at once I have finally unearthed a book that can explain chronologically on what had conspired before 1984. I was not disappointed. It was a truly riveting read, a read which again rejuvenated my fascination for history that I had lost in the rat race which we all go through after matriculation. Mark Tully has written the book in first hand whereas Satish Jacob took on the role of seeking the truth. Both have shown the integrity which journalism should be, but rarely is, associated with. They have indeed treaded on a fine line without playing any blame game or holding a biased view.
The book was first published in 1985, and as is the case with history, it still finds relevance today. Understanding the current socio-economic conditions through the eyes of history, one is able to prognosticate better. I would sign off with a quote from Robert Penn Warren–
“History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future.”
