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.
Congress leadership 'upset' with Chidambaram
Meanwhile, the Congress leadership expressed its displeasure over Chidambaram's remarks. Congress leader Rashid Alvi questioned whether Chidambaram is being coerced into making statements against the party, as criminal cases against the latter are still pending.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Alvi said, "Whether Operation Blue Star was right or wrong is a different matter. But what compels P Chidambaram to attack the Congress party, Indira Gandhi, claiming she took the wrong step, after 50 years? He's doing the same thing the BJP and the Prime Minister would do. It's unfortunate. Chidambaram ji's repeated attacks on the Congress party are raising many doubts and misgivings. Criminal cases against him are still pending. I wonder if he's under any pressure to continue attacking the Congress party."
News agency PTI, quoting party sources, said said the Congress leadership was of the view that "senior leaders, who have got everything from the Congress party, should be more careful in making statements that create embarrassments for the party. And, this cannot become a habit".
Not the first time
Chidambaram also stirred a controversy earlier after his remarks on 26/11 terror attacks last month, when in an interview he suggested that he personally favoured military retribution against Pakistan following the ghastly terror attack but the government led by the then prime minister Manmohan Singh decided to go by the external affairs ministry's view to resort to diplomatic measures against the neighbouring country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attacked the Congress party following Chidambaram's statement. Speaking at a function after the opening of the first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), Mumbai metro's Aqua Line and other projects, he blamed the Congress-led UPA government (2004-14) for "weakening the fight against terror," which he alleged had "paid a heavy price" on the nation.
"A Congress leader, who has also been Union home minister, has said a country prevented India's military retaliation post-26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. The party should clarify," the prime minister said.
Chidambaram however dismissed PM's claims as "terribly wrong" and accused him of twisting facts for political gain. Sharing a post on X, the Congress leader said, "I quote the Hon'ble PM's words (as reported in ToI): ".....has said India was ready to respond after 26/11, but because of the pressure exerted by some country, then Congress govt stopped India's armed forces from attacking Pakistan." "The statement has three parts, and each one of them is WRONG, terribly WRONG. It is disappointing to read that the Hon'ble prime minister of India imagined the words and attributed them to me," he added.
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.
Congress leadership 'upset' with Chidambaram
Meanwhile, the Congress leadership expressed its displeasure over Chidambaram's remarks. Congress leader Rashid Alvi questioned whether Chidambaram is being coerced into making statements against the party, as criminal cases against the latter are still pending.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Alvi said, "Whether Operation Blue Star was right or wrong is a different matter. But what compels P Chidambaram to attack the Congress party, Indira Gandhi, claiming she took the wrong step, after 50 years? He's doing the same thing the BJP and the Prime Minister would do. It's unfortunate. Chidambaram ji's repeated attacks on the Congress party are raising many doubts and misgivings. Criminal cases against him are still pending. I wonder if he's under any pressure to continue attacking the Congress party."
News agency PTI, quoting party sources, said said the Congress leadership was of the view that "senior leaders, who have got everything from the Congress party, should be more careful in making statements that create embarrassments for the party. And, this cannot become a habit".
Not the first time
Chidambaram also stirred a controversy earlier after his remarks on 26/11 terror attacks last month, when in an interview he suggested that he personally favoured military retribution against Pakistan following the ghastly terror attack but the government led by the then prime minister Manmohan Singh decided to go by the external affairs ministry's view to resort to diplomatic measures against the neighbouring country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attacked the Congress party following Chidambaram's statement. Speaking at a function after the opening of the first phase of the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), Mumbai metro's Aqua Line and other projects, he blamed the Congress-led UPA government (2004-14) for "weakening the fight against terror," which he alleged had "paid a heavy price" on the nation.
"A Congress leader, who has also been Union home minister, has said a country prevented India's military retaliation post-26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008. The party should clarify," the prime minister said.
Chidambaram however dismissed PM's claims as "terribly wrong" and accused him of twisting facts for political gain. Sharing a post on X, the Congress leader said, "I quote the Hon'ble PM's words (as reported in ToI): ".....has said India was ready to respond after 26/11, but because of the pressure exerted by some country, then Congress govt stopped India's armed forces from attacking Pakistan." "The statement has three parts, and each one of them is WRONG, terribly WRONG. It is disappointing to read that the Hon'ble prime minister of India imagined the words and attributed them to me," he added.
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