BJP leader and Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan sparked a row when he described Operation Blue Star as a “black day” and called those killed in the military action “martyrs” while criticizing then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
He also likened the army’s action to the invasion of the Golden Temple by the Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali.
Mahajan became the first representative of any state government to attend the anniversary celebration of Operation Blue Star at the Damdami Taksal headquarters in Amritsar district last Saturday.
“For us, Operation Blue Star is a black day. Our brothers and sisters were martyred and killed,” he said while addressing the gathering in Amritsar.
Mahajan described Operation Blue Star as a “military attack” on the Sikh shrine, and claimed that then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi forcefully sent the army into Punjab and into the holy complex.
“It was a military attack on our holy shrine. Indiraji forcefully sent them (the army) to Punjab and to our holy place,” he said.
Comparing Ahmed Shah Abdali’s invasion of the Golden Temple, Mahajan said the attack on the holy Sikh shrine in 1984 caused deep pain to the community.
He further claimed that Sikhs were brutally murdered and claimed that those responsible were never punished.
“Such a major tragedy occurred. I cannot call it an accident, but rather a deliberate act in which many of our brothers and sisters were killed. Even after that, no one was punished,” Mahajan said.
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Operation Blue Star was a military operation carried out by the armed forces between 1 and 10 June 1984, with the stated objective of removing Damdami Taksal leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and militants from the Golden Temple premises.
The operation marked the beginning of the insurgency in Punjab.
The Congress reaction was strong, with party leaders in Maharashtra accusing the BJP of raising the Khalistan issue ahead of the elections in Punjab and accusing the party of double standards on electoral considerations.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said Mahajan should be removed from the state government and the BJP.
Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar defended Indira Gandhi’s decision to order military action, saying it was necessary to preserve India’s unity.
“If this decision had not been taken during Indira Ji’s tenure, India might have been divided into two and the concept of undivided India would not have survived,” Wadettiwar said.
He said that the decision (Operation Blue Star) must be viewed in the context of the circumstances prevailing in the country at that time.
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“People make comments without understanding the issue. They want to say something even though they don’t know about it,” he said.
Wadettiwar said that the leadership at the time acted without any concern for personal safety and made extensive preparations before carrying out the operation.
Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant criticized Mahajan and accused the BJP of adopting an ambivalent stance on the issue for political gains.
“Mahajan lacked understanding of history and sensitive national issues. The BJP had started raising the Khalistan issue before the elections in Punjab.
“The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Army Chief General Arunkumar Vaidya sacrificed their lives for the country. The BJP is acting against the national interests and those of Maharashtra,” he added.
Joining the chorus against Mahajan, Sanjay Raut said that if Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have any sense of patriotism, they should expel Mahajan from the Cabinet and the BJP.
Should Operation Sindoor be called a Black Day? he asked.
Raut said, “You are a traitor if you consider (Operation Blue Star) a black day for work that was done to preserve the safety and protection of the country, for which Prime Minister (Indira Gandhi) sacrificed her life, fought a battle and defeated terrorism to ensure Punjab remains in the country.”
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The Rajya Sabha member asked whether Mahajan doubted Gandhi’s sacrifice.
“Her fight was for the country. Former Army Chief General Arun Vaidya sacrificed his life for it, so did former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and thousands of people,” Raut added.
