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Congress MP P. Chidambaram criticized the 1984 Operation Blue Star, calling it the “wrong way” to handle the situation at the Golden Temple and said former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi paid for that “mistake” with her life.
Also read: Remembering Indira Gandhi’s legacy
Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Sahitya Mahotsav 2025, the former Union home and finance minister said Operation Black Thunder was a better example of handling the crisis as it succeeded without involving the army inside the Sikh holy site.
What did Chidambaram say?
Operation Blue Star of June 1984 was a joint decision of the army, police, intelligence and civil services, he said.
He said, “No disrespect to any army officer here, but that (Blue Star) was the wrong way to reclaim the Golden Temple. A few years later, we showed the right way to reclaim the Golden Temple by keeping the army out.”
The former Union minister said, “Mrs. Gandhi (former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi) had to pay the price of that mistake with her life. It was a joint decision of the army, police, intelligence and civil services. You cannot blame it only on Mrs. Gandhi.”
Also read: ‘Indira is not easy’
Chidambaram was addressing a gathering during a discussion ‘They’ll shoot you, madam: my life through struggle’ with author Harinder Baweja.
What was Operation Blue Star?
Operation Blue Star was a 10-day military offensive conducted by the Indian Army from 1 June to 10 June 1984.
On June 6, on the orders of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the army entered the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The operation was aimed at eliminating Sikh terrorists led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who had allegedly stored weapons inside the temple complex.
Also read: Operation Blue Star: Physical, psychological wounds remain
Bhindranwale, leader of the radical Sikh group Damdami Taksal, was killed during the operation along with several of his armed followers. This mission to flush out terrorists from the holy site is one of the most controversial military operations in the history of independent India.
This operation was criticized a lot. Months later, on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated at her New Delhi residence by two of her Sikh bodyguards.
Mrs. Gandhi had to pay the price of that mistake with her life. It was a joint decision of the army, police, intelligence and civil services.
Beant Singh and Satwant Singh were Indira Gandhi’s bodyguards and assassinated her at her residence on 31 October 1984.
(with inputs from agencies)
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