P. Chidambaram, a senior Congress leader and former Home Minister, has ignited a controversy with his remarks on the 1984 Operation Blue Star, describing it as a "wrong approach" and stating that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi "paid with her life" for the decision. His comments, made at the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, have drawn flak from within his own party, with some leaders suggesting his statements align with the BJP's narrative.
Chidambaram's assessment of Operation Blue Star came during a discussion on journalist Harinder Baweja's book, They Will Shoot You, Madam: My Life Through Conflict. He argued that while the decision to launch the operation was a "cumulative" one involving the army, police, intelligence agencies, and civil service, it was ultimately the "wrong way" to address the issue of militants holed up inside the Golden Temple. He contrasted it with Operation Black Thunder, a later operation that kept the army out of the Sikh shrine.
Operation Blue Star, which took place from June 1 to June 8, 1984, was a military action ordered by Indira Gandhi to remove separatist leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his armed followers from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. The operation involved tanks and heavy artillery, resulting in significant damage to the Golden Temple and numerous casualties, including militants, soldiers, and civilians. The event deeply affected the Sikh community and led to widespread outrage, and a few months later, on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation.
The Congress leadership is reportedly "very upset" with Chidambaram's remarks, with some viewing them as creating "embarrassment for the party". Rashid Alvi, a senior Congress leader, openly criticized Chidambaram, suggesting his comments were "unfortunate" and echoed the BJP's stance. Alvi further questioned the timing of Chidambaram's criticism, wondering why he was speaking against the party after so many years and insinuating that Chidambaram might be under pressure due to pending criminal cases against him. "He's doing the same thing the BJP and the Prime Minister would do. It's unfortunate," Alvi stated.
The BJP, on the other hand, has seized upon Chidambaram's statement to attack the Congress party. The BJP called Operation Blue Star a "political misadventure" carried out under Indira Gandhi's direction. Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said that Chidambaram's remarks expose the Congress party's "historic mistake" of committing atrocities against the Sikh community.
Chidambaram's remarks have reopened a sensitive chapter in India's history, raising questions about the Congress party's handling of the events leading up to Operation Blue Star and its aftermath. The controversy also highlights the challenges the Congress faces in reconciling its past with present-day political realities. While Chidambaram has maintained that the decision was a collective one and that Indira Gandhi cannot be solely blamed, his comments have provided ammunition for the BJP to attack the Congress's legacy and its relationship with the Sikh community.
