Sign in

Bhindranwale never demanded Khalistan: Subramanian Swamy

Terming Operation Bluestar as a blunder, Swamy said the USSR was the force behind it.

Updated on: Apr 29, 2018, 22:45:28 IST
Hindustan Times, Amritsar | By
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

Stating that militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was his friend, BJP’s Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy on Sunday claimed that the former never demanded ‘Khalistan’.

Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy addressing a seminar organised by Vishav Samvad Samiti at Madhav Vidya Niketan School in Amritsar on Sunday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)
Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy addressing a seminar organised by Vishav Samvad Samiti at Madhav Vidya Niketan School in Amritsar on Sunday. (Sameer Sehgal/HT)

Swamy, while addressing a seminar organised by Vishav Samvad Samiti, an organisation affiliated to RSS, here said, “I closely watched what happened in Punjab in the nineties. This was a conspiracy of external forces to disintegrate the nation.”

He said Bhindranwale, who led the Sikh militants holed up in the Golden Temple during Operation Bluestar, never raised the separatist demand. “Show me a recording of any speech in which he raised such a demand,” he said when he was told by a scribe that a video is available on Youtube, in which Bhindranwale is seen saying “Army attack on Golden Temple would lay the foundation of Khalisan”.

He said, “As per my conversation with him, he did not demand Khalistan, but said he won’t reject it (Khalistan) if anybody gifts it to them.”

Terming Operation Bluestar as a blunder, Swamy said the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was the force behind it. Condemning the anti-Sikh riots, he termed these as “genocide”. “However, the Sikh hardliners in western countries like Canada use this term to support their separatist demand,” he pointed out.

Stating that DNA of all the people who take birth in India is the same, Swamy said all Indians are Hindus genetically, irrespective of their faith.

‘Make rapists impotent through surgery’

Replying to a query on the Kathua rape case, he sought stern action against the accused. “Capital punishment is not enough. The rapist should be made impotent through surgery so that he cannot rape any woman again.”

Swamy said disinformation is being spread through social media against Hindus with the help of external forces.

Notably, the seminar was also addressed by Prafull Ketkar, editor of RSS mouthpiece Organiser. The event was organised on the occasion of ‘Narad Jayanti.’

  • Surjit Singh
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Surjit Singh

    Surjit Singh is a correspondent. He covers politics and agriculture, besides religious affairs and Indo-Pak border in Amritsar and Tarn Taran.