Despite soaring temperature and tension throughout the day, the 33rd anniversary of Operation Bluestar passed off peacefully on Tuesday amidst tight security and pro-Khalistan slogans.
The presence of “‘parallel”’ jathedars (head priests of Sikhs’ temporal seats) — appointed by Sikh radicals during Sarbat Khalsa (a religio-political congregation of Sikhs) in 2015 — kept the situation tense throughout the day.
Commotion was witnessed at the Golden Temple when Sikhs’ highest temporal seat — Akal Takht jathedar (head priest) Giani Gurbachan Singh faced protests and pro-Khalistan slogans from radical Sikhs when he was delivering his annual message to the community from the Akal Takht building.
The moment Giani Gurbachan Singh began his address, slogans against him and pro Khalistan were raised.
At the same time, acting “‘parallel”’ jathedar Dhian Singh Mand, and SAD (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann wanted to address the gathering. However, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) denied them the public address system.
Amidst all this, the Sikh radicals’ supporters tried to break the speakers installed at Akal Takht.
later, Mand’s supporters made arrangements and he read out the message from the ground floor of the Akal Takht in the presence of Mann and Baljit Singh Daduwal, who was appointed acting jathedar of Takht Damdama Sahib by the radical Sikhs in 2016.
As Mand read out his message, pro-Khalistani slogans were raised. “‘Nobody has come here to listen to Giani Gurbachan Singh. He has lost our trust. This is why there were protests. We need to remove him,”’ he said.
The SGPC task force and heavy police in plain clothes keep tight vigil, other than the presence of Rapid Action Force (RAF).
Operation Bluestar refers to the operation mounted by the Indian Army on June 3, 1984, to flush out Sikh extremists, including Jarnail Singh Bindrawale, holed up within the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
Amritsar bandh
On the call given by Dal Khalsa, almost complete bandh was observed on Tuesday in the holy city to commemorate 33rd anniversary of Operation Bluestar.
Business and educational institutions remained closed, throwing the life out of gear; barring medical services. Even street vendors did not set up their business.
Dal Khalsa thanked Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs of Amritsar for responding positively to its call for bandh despite some Sikh groups created confusion deliberately to scuttle the call.
Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh said that there was almost complete and peaceful shut down in the city due to support and co-operation extended by people of all religion. He, however, slammed Akali Dal (Amritsar) and Amrik Singh Ajnala jatha for propagating against the bandh call.
“‘At Akal Takhat, sangat once again rejected the disgraced jathedar Gaini Gurbachan Singh. He was shown his real place when Sangat angrily reacted to his so-called message. Similarly, the people of Amritsar have rejected the appeal of another self-proclaimed jathedar Amrik Singh Ajnala, who publically asked people not to heed to Dal Khalsa’s call for bandh,”’ he said adding that both of them should stop living in illusions.
He said that theirs party activist boycotted Gurbachan Singh’s address and staged a walkout. He said that it’s really disappointing and disgusting that SGPC overlooked Panth’s objection and anger against Gurbachan Singh and failed to read the writing on the wall.
AISSF carries out march
Amritsar: All India Sikh Students’ Federation on Tuesday carried out a march in the wake of 33rd anniversary of Operation Bluestar.
Students took to the streets and denounced the operation, which three decades ago caused major unrest in Punjab. Students also carried placards reading “‘Never forget 6 June 1984.”’
Tight security arrangements have been made in several parts of Punjab, including Amritsar in wake of the anniversary.
As many as 15 companies of paramilitary forces, including the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Rapid Action Force (RAF) were deployed in different parts of the state after several radical outfits announced that they would observe the anniversary of the military operation.