Arun Nehru was considered a backroom power-broker and famous for his bullying tactics. He reportedly played a pivotal role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The riots broke out after the Assassination of Indira Gandhi. According to then petroleum secretary Avtar Singh Gill, Nehru gave "clearance" for the killings in Delhi. His strategy was to "catch Sikh youth, fling a tyre over their heads, douse them with kerosene and set them on fire.". He further retorted, "This will calm the anger of the Indian National Congress".