P Chidambaram Calls Operation Blue Star a 'Mistake': Congress Fumes, BJP Hits Back

This special report focuses on the political controversy ignited by senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram's remarks on Operation Blue Star. He has called the 1984 military action a mistake for which then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi paid with her life. 'No disrespect to any service officers, but that was a wrong way to retrieve the golden temple,' Chidambaram stated at a literary festival. His comments, which also described the decision as a 'cumulative' one involving the army and civil services and not just Gandhi, have caused a significant stir. The Congress party is reportedly upset, with some leaders suggesting Chidambaram may be under pressure due to pending legal cases. Meanwhile, the BJP and AAP have seized upon the statement, terming it an admission of guilt while criticizing any attempt to diffuse blame from Indira Gandhi. The report also places these comments in the context of other recent statements by Congress leaders that have diverged from the party line.