At the Khushwant Singh Literature Festival in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, on October 11, 2025, former Union Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram delivered a candid assessment of one of modern India’s most contentious episodes: Operation Blue Star. Calling the 1984 military action at the Golden Temple in Amritsar "the wrong way" to confront the crisis, Chidambaram asserted that then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi "paid with her life for that mistake."
Chidambaram’s remarks, made while moderating a discussion on journalist Harinder Baweja’s book They Will Shoot You, Madam, have reignited debate about the operation’s legacy and the political decisions that led to it. The event, attended by literary figures and political observers, provided a platform for the former Home and Finance Minister to reflect on the events that shook India in June 1984 and their far-reaching aftermath.
Operation Blue Star was launched between June 1 and June 8, 1984, under Indira Gandhi’s government. Its stated aim was to crush a separatist movement in Punjab led by the radical preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who had fortified himself and his followers inside Sikhism’s holiest shrine, the Golden Temple. The Indian Army stormed the complex, deploying heavy military equipment in an attempt to flush out the militants. Bhindranwale was killed, but the operation left the Akal Takht—one of the religion’s most revered sites—damaged and the Sikh community deeply wounded.
Chidambaram did not mince words about the approach taken. “No disrespect to any service officers present here, but that was the wrong way to retrieve the Golden Temple,” he said, according to PTI. He further elaborated, “Three to four years later, we showed the right way to retrieve the Golden Temple—by keeping out the army.” His remarks suggested that a less militarized, more sensitive strategy was possible and, in hindsight, preferable.
However, Chidambaram was careful to clarify that responsibility for the operation did not rest solely on Indira Gandhi’s shoulders. “That mistake was a cumulative decision of the army, the police, the intelligence and the civil service. We can't blame it on only Ms Gandhi,” he said, as reported by Mathrubhumi. This perspective challenges the often simplistic narrative that places the burden of blame squarely on the late Prime Minister, instead pointing to a broader institutional consensus (or failure) that led to the fateful military assault.
Operation Blue Star’s immediate aftermath was nothing short of seismic. Months after the operation, on October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in an act of revenge for the damage inflicted upon the Golden Temple and the Sikh community. The assassination, in turn, unleashed a wave of anti-Sikh violence across India. Government estimates report that more than 3,000 Sikhs were killed in Delhi and other parts of the country, though some independent estimates suggest the number may be even higher. Several Congress leaders were suspected of having instigated or abetted the violence, a stain that has continued to haunt the party for decades.
Chidambaram’s comments come at a time when the Congress party’s handling of both Operation Blue Star and the subsequent pogroms remain subjects of intense political debate. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has frequently invoked the events of 1984 to criticize Congress, especially during election seasons. Rajiv Gandhi’s infamous remark—"when a big tree falls, the ground shakes"—made in the wake of the violence, continues to reverberate in India’s political discourse, often cited as evidence of insensitivity at the highest levels of government.
Reflecting on the lessons of history, Chidambaram suggested that the Indian state eventually learned a better way to handle such crises. “There was a way to retrieve and capture all the militants. The Blue Star was the wrong way. I agree that Ms Gandhi paid with her life for that mistake. But that mistake was a cumulative decision… we can’t blame it on only Ms Gandhi,” he reiterated, according to NewsBytes.
Operation Blue Star’s legacy is complex. The operation marked the beginning of a period of insurgency in Punjab, with violence and unrest persisting for years. The deep resentment it fostered within the Sikh community was compounded by the destruction of the Akal Takht, which many viewed as a desecration of their faith’s holiest site. The wounds inflicted by those days remain raw for many, even as the demand for Khalistan—a separate Sikh homeland—has largely faded, replaced by economic and social concerns in Punjab.
Chidambaram also touched on the present-day situation in Punjab, noting that while the separatist movement has subsided, economic distress now poses the region’s greatest challenges. “The real problem is the economic situation,” he said, highlighting how the state’s priorities have shifted over the decades.
For many Indians, the events of 1984 remain a touchstone—a moment when the nation’s secular fabric was tested, and the consequences of political and military decisions reverberated through families and communities. The violence that followed Indira Gandhi’s assassination is often described as a pogrom, with the state accused of failing to protect its citizens or, worse, of abetting the violence. The scars of those days are visible in the persistent calls for justice, the commemorations, and the political rhetoric that surfaces around each anniversary.
Chidambaram’s willingness to describe Operation Blue Star as a "mistake" and to acknowledge the collective responsibility of India’s institutions is notable in a political culture where blame is often deflected or denied. His comments may not heal the wounds of the past, but they do offer a measure of candor that is rare among senior politicians.
As India continues to grapple with the legacy of 1984, voices like Chidambaram’s serve as a reminder of the complexities of leadership and the far-reaching consequences of decisions made in moments of crisis. The events at the Golden Temple, the violence that followed, and the political fallout remain etched in the nation’s memory—a cautionary tale of power, responsibility, and the enduring need for accountability.
While the debates over blame, justice, and reconciliation continue, Chidambaram’s remarks have again brought Operation Blue Star and its aftermath to the forefront of national conversation, challenging India to confront its past with honesty and humility.
