Former Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has controversially labeled Operation Blue Star, the 1984 assault on the Golden Temple, as a ‘mistake’ and the ‘wrong way’ to deal with the militant crisis. While acknowledging that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated as a consequence of this decision, Chidambaram insisted that the blame was not solely hers. He described the operation’s flawed execution as a ‘cumulative decision’ involving the collective apparatus of the state’s security and administrative bodies. Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival, Chidambaram asserted that the Golden Temple could have been retrieved without the extensive damage caused by military intervention, referencing later successful operations as a testament to alternative methods. The veteran leader also shifted focus to Punjab’s underlying economic instability, stating it is the ‘real problem’ and overshadows the fading political aspirations for Khalistan. The 1984 operation targeted Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and resulted in significant damage to the Akal Takht.
