The ‘shameful’ violent clash inside the Sikh’s holiest shrine, the Golden Temple, on Friday has attracted strong criticism by various political and religious outfits, rising above their considerations, who stressed on separating religion from the politics.
The clash broke out between SAD (Amritsar) activists and guards of SGPC task force during an event on the 30th anniversary of Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple premises in Amritsar, leaving at least 12 persons injured.Condemning the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said: “The incident that happened on the occasion of 30th anniversary of the Army assault on Sri Harmandir Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib has deeply pained me and members of the Sikh community throughout the world.”
Expressing shock over clashes inside Golden Temple, Congress’ MP from Amritsar Capt Amarinder Singh said that such incidents should not have happened and “it is the duty of SGPC to ensure the security of the temple”.“The incident could have easily been prevented had both sides exercised restrain and restricted themselves to the purpose of the meeting and not indulged in publicity hunting. As a true Sikh, it pained me to watch the images on television that people are pouncing at each other and tossing turbans and that too right at the Akal Takht,” he said.
Capt Amarinder, who had resigned from the Parliament in 1984 to protest against the military action, added, “Today’s incidents have only exposed those people that they are not there to commemorate the sad and tragic event in Sikh history but to score political points over each other...they are indulging in something which amounted to nothing less than sacrilege itself.”Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma, while condemning the Golden Temple violence, urged the Punjab government, Akal Takht and the SGPC to take strict action against culprits.
“Such incidents of violence is lowering the dignity of Golden Temple that is known as the place of high reverence for all regions especially Punjabis across the globe,” said Sharma while cautioning the people by not getting trapped in the hands of separatist forces and urged them to maintain peace and harmony in the state.
“Today is very important day for us. But we are also sorry that today this incident happened. We condemn it. This should not have happened,” said SAD MP Prem Singh Chandumajra.Asked whether Akali Dal or SGPC members instigated the violence, Chandumajra said: “It will be known only after the inquiry. An inquiry will be held.”Aam Aadmi Party’s MP Bhagwant Mann described the incident as “shameful and a black day” and sought religion to be separated from politics. “It is a black day for whole Sikh community and humanity as well. It is shameful,” Mann said.
Blaming Akalis for it, the Sangrur MP said, “Akali Dal has mixed religion with politics. Religion should be separated from politics.”
Akali Dal Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral said, “It is very unfortunate. This is the holiest place for the Sikhs. It is shameful, if such activities take place…But at the same time, I would say police cannot enter the shrine. It is the responsibility of SGPC and Jathedars of Akal Takht...they have to maintain law and order and peaceful atmosphere.”
Gujral said, “FIR has to be filed by SGPC or Jathedars of Akal Takth. Akali Dal as a party has nothing to do with this.”About the allegation that Akali MPs are also involved in the incident, he said, “It is only an allegation. let there be an inquiry and whoever will be found guilty, action will be taken against him.”Condemning the violence “unleashed by Amritsar Dal in Akal Takht”, SAD said that such sacrilegious conduct amounted to disrespecting and nullifying the sacrifices of the martyrs.
SAD general secretary Maheshinder Singh Grewal said that the manner in which supporters of the Amritsar Dal tried to use a religious function to revive themselves politically was condemnable.
Appealing to all political parties and groups to maintain sanctity of Akal Takth as well as the entire Darbar Sahab complex, Grewal said: “We may have political differences with each other but we must not use our highest temporal seat to settle political scores.”