NEW DELHI: Congress leader P Chidambaram on Saturday reflected on one of India’s most debated chapters — Operation Blue Star — calling it "the wrong way” to reclaim the Golden Temple and saying that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi "paid with her life" for that decision.
Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival 2025, Chidambaram said the operation, carried out in June 1984 under Gandhi’s leadership, was a collective decision of the Army, police, intelligence, and civil services. The former Union home and finance minister contrasted it with Operation Black Thunder , which took place a few years later, and said that it was the right approach as it kept the Army out of the Sikh holy shrine.
He said, "No disrespect to any military officers here, but that (Blue Star) was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. A few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple by keeping out the Army."
"Mrs Gandhi (former PM Indira Gandhi) paid with her life for that mistake. It was a cumulative decision of the Army, Police, intelligence and the civil services. You cannot blame it only on Mrs Gandhi," he added.
Chidambaram made the remarks while speaking at a session on ‘They Will Shoot You, Madam: My Life Through Conflict’ with author Harinder Baweja.
Operation Blue Star was a military action carried out from June 1 to June 10, 1984, when the Army entered the Golden Temple in Amritsar to remove militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The operation was ordered by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after reports that Bhindranwale and his armed supporters had stored weapons inside the temple complex.
Bhindranwale, the head of the Damdami Taksal, and several of his followers were killed during the operation. Months later, on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated at her New Delhi residence by her Sikh bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh.
Also read: 'Imagined words': Chidambaram slams PM Modi's remarks on 26/11 attacks; BJP hits back with jibe at Sonia Gandhi
Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival 2025, Chidambaram said the operation, carried out in June 1984 under Gandhi’s leadership, was a collective decision of the Army, police, intelligence, and civil services. The former Union home and finance minister contrasted it with Operation Black Thunder , which took place a few years later, and said that it was the right approach as it kept the Army out of the Sikh holy shrine.
He said, "No disrespect to any military officers here, but that (Blue Star) was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. A few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple by keeping out the Army."
VIDEO | Senior Congress leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram says, "No disrespect to any military officers here but that (Blue Star) was a wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. Few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple by keeping out the… pic.twitter.com/ZuA87mbxYO
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 12, 2025
"Mrs Gandhi (former PM Indira Gandhi) paid with her life for that mistake. It was a cumulative decision of the Army, Police, intelligence and the civil services. You cannot blame it only on Mrs Gandhi," he added.
Chidambaram made the remarks while speaking at a session on ‘They Will Shoot You, Madam: My Life Through Conflict’ with author Harinder Baweja.
Operation Blue Star was a military action carried out from June 1 to June 10, 1984, when the Army entered the Golden Temple in Amritsar to remove militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The operation was ordered by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after reports that Bhindranwale and his armed supporters had stored weapons inside the temple complex.
Bhindranwale, the head of the Damdami Taksal, and several of his followers were killed during the operation. Months later, on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated at her New Delhi residence by her Sikh bodyguards, Beant Singh and Satwant Singh.
Also read: 'Imagined words': Chidambaram slams PM Modi's remarks on 26/11 attacks; BJP hits back with jibe at Sonia Gandhi
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