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Kler reacted firmly to the statement and questioned the Congress leadership's stance on 'Operation Blue Star' (Img: X)
New Delhi: A fresh political row has emerged after Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi spoke about former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s emotional response to Operation Blue Star. The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has since questioned the Congress leadership’s expression of remorse over the 1984 military operation.
Ahead of the release of her book, Belonging: A Journey of Love, Sonia Gandhi recalled that Indira Gandhi was deeply distressed upon seeing images of the destruction within the Golden Temple complex in 1984.
According to Sonia Gandhi, when Indira Gandhi was shown photographs of the devastation caused by the military operation, she was moved to tears.
SAD spokesperson Arshdeep Singh Kler reacted firmly to this statement and questioned the Congress leadership's stance on 'Operation Blue Star'.
Kler alleged that the military operation was part of a conspiracy. He stated that the pain inflicted by this operation continues to affect generations of the Sikh community to this day.
Referring to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, he held the Congress party responsible for the killing of innocent Sikhs.
He challenged Congress leaders to meet with families who lost their relatives or saw their homes destroyed during the violence, suggesting that such encounters would help them understand the grief and pain of the Sikh community.
Sonia Gandhi also shared that following 'Operation Blue Star', Indira Gandhi began receiving death threats. Given the situation, she started preparing her family for the possibility of her assassination.
It is said that she had even provided instructions to her family members on what they should do in the event of her death. She had specifically advised Rahul Gandhi to remain brave and not to cry. Sonia Gandhi also suggested that Indira Gandhi’s visit to Kashmir with her grandchildren in the summer of 1984 was, in a sense, her way of saying 'goodbye.' The Congress party presented its perspective.
In June 1984, the Indian Army conducted 'Operation Blue Star,' aimed at flushing out armed militants from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. The operation caused extensive damage to the sacred site, including the Sri Akal Takht Sahib. On October 31, 1984, Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two of her Sikh bodyguards.
Meanwhile, Congress Working President Raj Kumar Verka defended the party, stating that the Congress has never justified 'Operation Blue Star' and has always stood with Punjab and its people. He also pointed to the visits made by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi to the Golden Temple, which reflect their deep respect for this sacred site of the Sikh community.
