30 yrs on, Capt back in Parliament tomorrow - Had resigned as Patiala MP in 1984 after Op Bluestar
Tuesday, 03/06/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140603/punjab.htm#6
His political career comes a full circle as Capt Amarinder Singh takes oath as Member of Parliament from Amritsar on June 4. He will be re-entering Parliament after exactly 30 years.
It was on June 7, 1984 - a day after the Indira Gandhi-led government launched the Operation Bluestar - he had resigned as Member of Parliament from Patiala and from the Congress. This was a new phase in his political career, which saw him getting more active in the Punjab politics. He first joined the Akali Dal, but later quit the party and rejoined the Congress.
Having served the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee thrice as its president and state as Chief Minister (2002-2007), he has emerged as the strongest Punjab Congressmen.
Talking to The Tribune today, Capt Amarinder Singh said this completed a cycle in his political career in which he did not compromise on his beliefs and principles. "Even though I will be in Parliament, I will be espousing the cause of Punjab. The first session will not have any debate, but I will raise all issues concerning Punjab vociferously there. Since I represent Amritsar, I will raise the issue of poor availability of clean drinking water in Amritsar, sewage flowing into water channels; rampant drug menace and lack of development in the holy city," he said.
Talking about his earlier stint as Patiala MP, Capt Amarinder said although he returned to the Congress in 1998, he did not change his stand on the issue on which he had resigned from Parliament. "I had opposed the Operation Bluestar at that time and I oppose it now. It was a wrong decision", he said, adding he felt that his belief had been vindicated with his win from the Amritsar seat.
