On the 35th anniversary of Operation Blue Star, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President and former deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal today met Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding a thorough probe. Shah is also the party president of Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP).
According to reports, Badal, who is the member of Parliament from Ferozpur, along with a delegation of SAD met Shah to demand an investigation into the 1984 conspiracy, wherein Indian Armed Forces were allowed entry into the holy Sikh shrine of Harmandir Sahib. Under Operation Blue Star, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had permitted the Army to raid the complex of Golden Temple in a bid to nab militant religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers.
Speaking to the media following his meeting with Shah, Badal said, “Gandhi Parivar had unleashed tanks, the army on the holy shrine of the Sikhs, which had caused severe damage on the minds of the Sikhs. We have requested the Home Minister to provide some kind of pension for the survivors of the Operation Blue Star.”
According to government authorities, hundreds of people were killed in action, including Bhindranwale while the holy shrine was severely damaged leading to severe criticism against Gandhi for violating its sanctity.
Interestingly, the demand by the Akalis comes thirty-five years after the controversial operation, which subsequently led one of Gandhi’s bodyguard’s to assassinate her. Her death triggered the unruly mob, believed to be led by Indian National Congress (INC) leaders, to massacre Sikhs across Delhi and Punjab in what is known as anti-Sikh riots of 1984.
Earlier in the day, Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal levelled serious charges against the Congress party, especially on the Gandhi family and questioned Gandhi for orchestrating the army operation for her political gains.