Operation Blue Star Was a Mistake That Cost Indira Gandhi Her Life: P. Chidambaram

Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh | Former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram sparked controversy at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival in Kasauli with a candid assessment of one of India’s most controversial military actions — Operation Blue Star. Chidambaram called the 1984 operation, which targeted militants holed up in Amritsar’s Golden Temple, a “mistake” that ultimately led to the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

 “Operation Blue Star was a mistake. It cost Indira Gandhi her life. There were errors in its execution by the officials of the time,” said Chidambaram, addressing a gathering at the literary festival in Solan district.

He further added that a better approach would have been similar to Operation Black Thunder, a later and less-destructive operation that cleared the Golden Temple of militants without direct military intrusion into the sanctum.

SGPC Responds Strongly

Chidambaram’s remarks triggered a sharp response from Gurcharan Singh Grewal, spokesperson for the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

 “You can’t hide the truth by telling a hundred lies. Chidambaram’s statement proves the truth of the attack on Sri Harmandir Sahib,” Grewal said.

He further alleged that the attack was not just a tactical failure, but a political decision that directly involved the late Prime Minister.

Grewal invoked the controversial statement by Rajiv Gandhi, who reportedly said, “When a big tree falls, the earth shakes”, in reference to the anti-Sikh riots that followed Indira Gandhi’s assassination. According to Grewal, this statement “justified” the mass violence and exposed the mindset of Congress leaders at the time.

Historical Context

Operation Blue Star was carried out in June 1984 to remove armed Sikh militants from the Golden Temple complex. It resulted in heavy casualties, damage to the holy shrine, and widespread anger within the Sikh community. Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards four months later.

Chidambaram Also Revisited 26/11

This is not the first time Chidambaram has addressed controversial national security issues. Recently, he revealed that India had considered military action against Pakistan after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, but refrained due to global diplomatic pressures.

“I was in favor of military action after the 26/11 attacks, but in the end, the decision was made not to proceed,” he said in an earlier statement.