Fadnavis defends Girish Mahajan, accuses Congress of leading 1984 anti-Sikh riots

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis practically defended his BJP colleague and Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan amid a row over his statement against the 1984 anti-separatist ‘Operation Blue Star’.

Defending Mahajan, Fadnavis said on Wednesday that Mahajan’s remarks should be seen in their entirety within the context of the “Congress-led” anti-Sikh riots in 1984. “If we go by the full statement made by Girish Mahajan, no questions will be raised,” he added.

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Pointing out that the 300th martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, was being celebrated across the country and that Maharashtra also organised a large event, he said, “Girish Mahajan, during an event in Punjab, glorified the Sikh community and made statements about its contribution to India. There is no need to look at Girish Mahajan’s statements from any other perspective.”

Mahajan sparked a political storm by calling ‘Operation Blue Star’ a “black day,” equating the 1984 Indian Army action to an invasion by Afghan ruler Ahmad Shah Abdali, which led opposition parties to demand Mahajan’s sacking for glorifying Khalistani separatists and insulting India’s armed forces.

“The massacre of Sikhs in Delhi, Punjab, and across India under the leadership of the Congress party is a historical fact. Nobody can forget this truth,” Fadnavis told media persons during a visit to Delhi.

Meanwhile, Nationalist Congress Party founder Sharad Chandra Pawar strongly criticised Mahajan’s statement on ‘Operation Blue Star’. Calling Girish Mahajan’s statement completely unacceptable, he said, “Operation Blue Star was a great sacrifice by Indira Gandhi for the country. The Sikh community is a very important part of the country, and Sikh brothers are ready to pay any price for it.”

Sharad Pawar added that some people are telling the youth wrong things to mislead them.