Who Was Assassinated By Two Sikh Bodyguards?

Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India, was assassinated by two Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. The assassination took place in retaliation for the Indian Army's attack on the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of Sikhism, earlier that year.

Indira Gandhi's assassination sent shockwaves throughout India and the world. She was a controversial figure who had served as Prime Minister for over 15 years, with a reputation for both authoritarianism and populism. Her decision to send the Indian Army into the Golden Temple to remove Sikh separatists sparked outrage among the Sikh community.

The two bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, were both Sikhs who felt betrayed by the government's actions against their community. On the morning of October 31, 1984, they opened fire on Indira Gandhi as she walked to her office in New Delhi. She was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to her injuries later that day.

The assassination of Indira Gandhi led to a wave of anti-Sikh violence across India, with thousands of Sikhs being killed in reprisal attacks. The government's response to the violence was widely criticized for being inadequate and at times complicit in the attacks.

Despite the controversy surrounding her tenure as Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi remains a polarizing figure in Indian politics. Some view her as a strong and decisive leader who modernized India and championed the rights of the poor, while others see her as a power-hungry autocrat who trampled on civil liberties.

In the aftermath of her assassination, her son Rajiv Gandhi took over as Prime Minister and eventually won the 1984 general elections in a landslide victory. However, his own tenure was marred by controversy and he too was assassinated in 1991 by a Tamil separatist.

The assassination of Indira Gandhi by two Sikh bodyguards remains a tragic and tumultuous chapter in Indian history, highlighting the deep divisions and tensions that exist within the country.

Overall, the assassination of Indira Gandhi by two Sikh bodyguards had far-reaching consequences that continue to shape Indian politics and society to this day.

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