Senior Congress leader and former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has sparked uproar within his own party by questioning the handling of Operation Blue Star under the Indira Gandhi government. Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, on Sunday (12 October), Chidambaram expressed a harsh assessment of that chapter in history.

He stated:
“… 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. There was a way to retrieve and capture all the militants, but the Blue Star was the wrong way, and I agree that Mrs Gandhi (former PM Indira Gandhi) paid with her life for that mistake. That mistake was a cumulative decision of the Army, Police, intelligence and the civil services. You cannot blame it only on Mrs Gandhi…”

In making that declaration, Chidambaram did not shy away from attributing responsibility across multiple institutions. He argued the decision was not solely hers, but the result of combined inputs from the Army, police, intelligence agencies, and civil services.

Almost immediately, reactions poured in.

SGPC Welcomes the Critique, Places Blame Squarely

Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) General Secretary Bhai Gurcharan Singh Grewal responded strongly. He contended that Indira Gandhi, being Prime Minister at that time, bore full responsibility. He said:

“… Chidambaram sahab is absolutely right. The Operation Blue Star was not right, and it could have been avoided. Since the beginning, Congress has been lying, and now they have furthered their lies that Indira Gandhi is not solely responsible for this operation. Nobody will believe this. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister, and it was entirely her decision… If you have made this statement sincerely, we welcome it…”

His tone was unequivocal: the decision was hers, and attempts to diffuse blame cannot be accepted.

Congress Leadership Strikes Back

Within the Congress party, discontent and surprise were palpable. Senior Congress leader Rashid Alvi publicly criticized Chidambaram, questioning his timing and motivation. He observed:

“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.”

Alvi also hinted at political intrigue, suggesting that Chidambaram’s remarks raised suspicion given pending criminal cases against him. The implication: was he acting under coercion?

BJP and Government Leaders Seize the Moment

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, from the ruling BJP, was quick to pounce. He accused Chidambaram of conceding Congress mistakes too late. On X, he said:

“Chidambaram Ji admits the Congress blunders too late! After revealing that India could not respond to- Pakistan terror attacks in Mumbai, due to high pressure from USA & foreign powers, now he admits operation blue star in Golden Temple was also a mistake.”

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson R. P. Singh supported Chidambaram’s critique, insisting that history must record the truth. According to him, Operation Blue Star was avoidable, and Indira Gandhi authorised it for electoral gain, thereby turning the Sikh community into scapegoats. He added:

“Over 3,000 Sikhs were brutally massacred in Delhi and more than 30,000 killed across Punjab … victims of a calculated political design that tore apart the social fabric of the nation.”

This figure — “over 3,000 in Delhi” and “more than 30,000 across Punjab” — is frequently invoked in political debate about the scale of violence.

The Historical Backdrop Remains Dark

Operation Blue Star was carried out from 1 to 10 June 1984, with the objective of flushing out Khalistani militants, especially Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, from the Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar. The operation succeeded in its immediate military goal, but its aftermath was profound.

Among the consequences:

• The Army Chief involved, General A. S. Vaidya, was assassinated just two years later by Khalistani terrorists.

• On 31 October 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards, an act widely seen as retaliation.

• Her death triggered widespread anti-Sikh riots across India, leaving thousands dead and inflicting lasting social divisions.

In questioning the wisdom and execution of Operation Blue Star so many decades later, Chidambaram has reopened wounds and provoked a fierce debate within his party, across communal lines, and in the larger political arena. His assertion was bold. The reactions are louder.