Strongly opposed Operation Bluestar: Amarinder Singh

Congress leader Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday said that he had strongly opposed Operation Bluestar unlike Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who, he claimed, had asked the then union government to go for military action at Golden temple.

“I had strongly opposed the Operation Bluesta unlike Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who changes his stand and stance depending on the situation that suits him,” Capt Amarinder said.

In reaction to the allegations levelled by Akali Dal leaders Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Balwinder Singh Bhunder that he had advised the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on Bluestar, the Congress leader said he did not need Akalis’ certificate about his opposition to the military operation.

Pointing out that he not only resigned from the Congress party to protest against the Operation Bluestar, but also gave up his membership of the parliament, Singh said, he was involved in negotiations about the happenings in Punjab from 1980 to January 1984 when he dissociated himself from the process.

Singh reiterated his question to Badal to explain to the people of Punjab as what transpired between him and the then Union Home Minister P V Narsimha Rao on March 28, 1984 and whether he did not recommend military action in Darbar Sahib as he was dead scared about rise of Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale.

Accusing Badal of practising the politics of double standards even then, the senior Congress leader claimed that on the one hand he recommended military action against Bhindrawale, on the other hand he (Badal) got himself associated with Khalistan Commando Force led by Gurjant Singh Rajasthani for protection.

Reiterating his demand that all the documents related to Operation Bluestar be declassified, Singh said, he wondered as how Badal will be able to defend himself once everything comes into the public domain.

He exuded hope that the documents would be declassified soon as thirty years have already passed and now the public should be told what actually transpired at that time.

Earlier, Singh had claimed that Badal held a secret meeting with then Union Home Minister P V Narsimha Rao, then Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Union Home Secretary in a guest house in New Delhi on March 28, 1984, wherein he sought military action at Golden temple.