Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram on Sunday described Operation Blue Star of 1984 as the “wrong way” to reclaim the Golden Temple in Punjab, stating that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi paid the ultimate price for that decision.
Speaking at a literature event in Kasauli, Chidambaram remarked, “No disrespect to any military officers, but that was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. A few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve it -- by keeping the Army out. Blue Star was the wrong way, and I agree that Mrs Gandhi paid with her life for that mistake.”
Addressing the June 1984 military operation, which aimed to remove terrorists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Chidambaram clarified that the decision was not solely Indira Gandhi’s. He noted, “It was a cumulative decision of the Army, the police, the intelligence, and the civil service. You cannot blame it only on Mrs Gandhi.”
Commenting on the current situation in Punjab, the former Finance Minister observed that demands for Khalistan have significantly diminished, with economic challenges now being the state’s primary concern. He stated, “My visits to Punjab have led me to believe that the cry for Khalistan or separation has practically died down. The real problem is the economic situation. Most illegal migrants are from Punjab.”
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Operation Blue Star, conducted from June 1 to June 8, 1984, was launched by Indira Gandhi’s government to suppress a separatist uprising in Punjab led by radical preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The operation aimed to evict Bhindranwale and his armed followers, who had fortified themselves inside the Akal Takht and other parts of the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.
The military assault involved tanks and heavy artillery, resulting in hundreds of deaths, including militants, soldiers, and civilians. The operation deeply offended the Sikh community, leading to widespread outrage.
The repercussions of Operation Blue Star were profound. On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for the attack on the Golden Temple, which triggered anti-Sikh riots across India.
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