1984 riots killing 3300 Sikhs could have been avoided: Manmohan Singh

NEW DELHI: Former Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said that the 1984 anti-Sikh riots could have been averted if the then-Home Minister PV Narasimha Rao had acted upon the advice of Inder Kumar Gujral.

Gujral later went on to became the 12th Prime Minister of India between April 1997-March 1998.

Over 3,300 members of the Sikh community were killed in the riots that broke out in Delhi between October 31-November 3 1984 after the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her own Sikh bodyguards.

Bodyguards were angry for ordering Operation Bluestar under which the Indian Army was ordered to enter the holy Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar to relieve it from the insurgents who were holed up inside. The operation was carried out between June 3-8 earlier that year.

Dr Singh was speaking at an event commemorating the 100th birth anniversary of the late former Prime Minister, according to India.com.

Speaking at the event, he said, ” When the sad event of ’84 took place, IK Gujral ji went to the then HM PV Narasimha Rao and told him, the situation is so grave that it’s necessary for govt to call Army at the earliest. If that advice had been heeded perhaps the 1984 massacre could’ve been avoided.”

Manmohan Singh had apologised for the riots in 2005.