‘Operation Blue Star a mistake, wrong way to retrieve Golden Temple’: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister P Chidambaram has described the 1984 Operation Blue Star as a “mistake” and the “wrong way” to reclaim the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, and that former prime minister Indira Gandhi paid the ultimate price for that decision. Speaking at the Khushwant Singh Literary Festival 2025, in Kasauli on Saturday, Chidambaram said, “No disrespect to any military officers, but that was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple. A few years later, we showed the right way to retrieve it—by keeping the Army out. Blue Star was the wrong way, and I agree that Mrs Gandhi paid with her life for that mistake.” Chidambaram also said that the operation, carried out in June 1984 under Gandhi’s leadership, was a collective decision involving the Army, police, intelligence, and civil services, and could not be blamed solely on Indira Gandhi.

The former Union home and finance minister further 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.

Chidambaram made the remarks while speaking at a session on ‘They Will Shoot You, Madam: My Life Through Conflict’ with author Harinder Baweja.

What was Operation Blue Star?

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 on the orders of then PM Indira Gandhi to crush a separatist uprising led by radical preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale after reports that his supporters had stored weapons inside the temple complex.

The assault deeply hurt the Sikh community, sparking widespread outrage. On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for the attack on the Golden Temple, triggering anti-Sikh riots across India.

Congress expresses displeasure on Chidambaram’s remarks

Meanwhile, the Congress party reacted to Chidambaram’s remarks and expressed its displeasure. Congress leader Rashid Alvi questioned the reasons for Chidambaram making statements against the party, as criminal cases against him are still pending.

“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?” Alvi told news agency ANI.

“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,” Alvi said.

Last month, Chidambaram had stirred a controversy with his remarks on the 26/11 terror attacks, when he suggested in an interview that he personally favoured military retribution against Pakistan, but the government led by then PM Manmohan Singh decided to go by the external affairs ministry’s view to resort to diplomatic measures.