- BJP shifts Punjab strategy by criticizing Operation Bluestar publicly for the first time
- Maharashtra minister Mahajan called the Army action an attack on the Golden Temple
- BJP aims to engage Sikh sentiments and address historical grievances ahead of 2027 polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s outreach to Sikh religious institutions and its unprecedented criticism of Operation Bluestar mark a significant shift in its Punjab strategy ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
For the first time, a senior BJP leader has publicly echoed sentiments traditionally associated with panthic politics.
The development came during the 42nd anniversary of Operation Bluestar when Maharashtra minister Girish Mahajan visited the Damdami Taksal, the seminary once headed by Khalistani separatist and terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.
Sharing the stage with Taksal leaders, Mahajan described the Army action as an "attack" on the Golden Temple and blamed former prime minister Indira Gandhi for sending troops into the holiest shrine in Sikhism.
He also compared it with historical invasions and recalled the failure to punish those responsible for the anti-Sikh riots that followed Gandhi's assassination.
The remarks assume significance since they represent a departure from the BJP's traditional position. While the party has consistently attacked the Congress over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, it has largely refrained from criticising Operation Bluestar itself.
In fact, the BJP and its ideological ecosystem have often viewed the military action as a tragic but necessary step to restore order during a period of militancy. Mahajan's comments, therefore, signal an attempt to engage with Sikh sentiments that continue to view the operation as a deep religious and emotional wound.
The political context is equally important. Since its split with the Shiromani Akali Dal and the fallout of the farm laws agitation, the BJP has struggled to expand its Sikh support base. Despite efforts to project itself as a national alternative in Punjab, the party remains largely confined to urban pockets. Reaching out to influential religious institutions such as Damdami Taksal appears to be aimed at reducing distrust among Sikh voters and demonstrating sensitivity to historical grievances.
However, the strategy is fraught with risks. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has accused the BJP of hypocrisy, remarking that the party was "running with the hare and hunting with the hounds". He argued that while the BJP brands opponents as anti-national, it is now embracing narratives it once criticised. Warring warned against reviving divisive memories for electoral gains and reminded the BJP that Punjab paid a heavy price during the militancy era, including the loss of a prime minister and a chief minister.
The outreach, however, appears to be a calculated effort to separate Sikh religious sentiments from the politics of militancy.
In Punjab, where symbolism often carries enormous political weight, such gestures can reshape perceptions. The BJP is attempting a delicate balancing act: acknowledging Sikh pain over Bluestar while retaining its nationalist credentials.
Whether voters see it as reconciliation or electoral opportunism could become one of the defining political debates before the next Punjab Assembly elections.
