New Delhi, 10 November (H.S.): Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra has criticised the reference to Operation Blue Star in Congress leader Sonia Gandhi’s book, Belonging: A Journey of Love. Harsh Malhotra objected to the account that former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was deeply distressed after seeing photographs of the Golden Temple Sahib and the Akal Takht Sahib following the military operation. Describing the account as factually misleading, he said it reopened painful wounds within the Sikh community.

In a statement issued on Sonia Gandhi’s autobiography, Malhotra said that the attack on the Golden Temple Sahib in Amritsar, the highest centre of Sikh religious faith, had been carried out on the orders of Indira Gandhi herself. In such circumstances, he questioned the suggestion that she had been distressed by the aftermath of the operation, arguing that she would have already been aware of its likely consequences.

The Delhi BJP president said that it was, in fact, the Sikh community that had suffered profound anguish. He alleged that between October 31 and November 2, 1984, Sikh places of worship, homes and commercial establishments were selectively targeted under the protection of the Congress party. He further claimed that thousands of innocent Sikhs were massacred during the violence.

Harsh Malhotra demanded that Sonia Gandhi publicly apologise to the Sikh community and future generations for the 1984 anti-Sikh massacre.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar