Maharashtra minister called those killed in Operation Blue Star “martyrs”, sparks row
Suspense Crime, Digital Desk : Girish Mahajan News: Maharashtra Minister Girish Mahajan's speech at Damdami Taksal on the anniversary of Operation Blue Star has stoked politics in Punjab. Congress and AAP have attacked.
A controversial statement by Maharashtra cabinet minister and BJP leader Girish Mahajan on the anniversary of Operation Blue Star in Punjab has triggered a fresh political storm. Opposition parties have vehemently attacked the BJP for the Maharashtra minister's speech at a Damdami Taksal event at Mehta Chowk in Amritsar on June 6. Meanwhile, the Punjab BJP has withdrawn its statement and distanced itself from the minister's comments, further escalating the row.
What did the minister say in the speech?
At a Damdami Taksal function, Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan spoke about the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and accused her of orchestrating the attack on the Golden Temple. The minister called those killed inside the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star "martyrs". Describing the incident, he said it was a "black day" for the Sikh community. It is worth noting that Khalistan proponent and the then chief of Damdami Taksal, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, also lost his life in the same military operation.
Punjab BJP in a fix
It was the first time that a senior BJP leader visited Damdami Taksal (Mehta Chowk), which is the headquarters of the organization. The BJP has consistently opposed the Sikh fundamentalist organisations in Punjab. Therefore, its own party minister's statement has put the Punjab BJP on the backfoot.
Punjab BJP Vice President Fatehjang Singh Bajwa distanced himself from the statement, saying, "These may be the personal views of the Maharashtra minister, it has nothing to do with the BJP ideology. He was invited to the event by Damdami Taksal, but whatever he said there is not the party's stand."
Sharp attack from AAP and Congress
Following the controversy, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress in Punjab have fiercely criticized the BJP. Punjab Congress Chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said on X, “BJP’s duplicity on the issue of nationalism has been exposed. In Punjab, for vote bank politics, it is playing with fire and playing politics. Punjab had just escaped the dark days of terrorism, but had already rejected such separatist ideas.”
Aman Arora, a Punjab government cabinet minister and AAP leader, said, “BJP is ready to do anything to get votes. It is entirely against the ideology of BJP that the minister of the same party has gone to Damdami Taksal to promote itself. The people of Punjab know well the 'vote bank politics' of the BJP."
Political analysts believe that after being separated from Akali Dal in Punjab, BJP is taking such steps to lure the Sikh vote bank, especially in the rural areas. However, experts believe that doing so poses a big risk for the BJP because their attempts to appease Sikh fundamentalist organizations may enrage its traditional vote bank of Hindus.
