Turban tossing, brandishing of swords, pro-Khalistan sloganeering, and mild altercation between the Sikh hardliners and the security personnel were witnessed during a ceremony organised by the Shiromani Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee to mark the 35th anniversary of Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple complex.
The situation was saved from going out of hand by the Punjab police personnel, present inside the shrine complex in plainclothes. In the wake of the anniversary, security agencies were put on high alert in and around Amritsar.
On a partial bandh call given by the radical Sikh outfit, Dal Khalsa, to mark a protest against the Army action in on the Golden Temple in 1984, the markets around the temple complex remained closed for several hours before reopening later in the afternoon.
Before that, thousands of devotees thronged the Akal Takht — Sikhs’ highest temporal seat — to participate in the bhog ceremony of religious prayers, started on June 4, organised in the memory of those killed in the military operation.
As the prayers ended, some people raised pro-Khalistan raised slogans. Some people were also seen brandishing swords, and donning t-shirts and holding banners with pictures of Khalistani leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed in the military operation.
‘Parallel Jathedar’ of Akal Takht, Dhian Singh Mand, and former MP and president of Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) Simranjit Singh Mann participated in the culmination event.
Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh, in his customary but “brief” message to the Sikh community, said: “The Sikh community across the world will remember the unhealed wounds of Operation Bluestar..."
He further urged the Central Government to “return the historic and ancient books which were taken away from the “Sikh Reference Library” of the temple during Operation Bluestar.
“The Government of India must also make public all documents related to Operation Bluestar,” he added.
Soon as he finished the address, the parallel jathedar Dhian Singh Mand intended to start his address which was disrupted when the SGPC authorities played the kirtan in a high volume on the speakers. This was followed by pro-Khalistan and anti-India sloganeering, brandishing of swords, resulting in tempers running high.
In the melee, the barricades, that were fixed right in front of the Akal Takht were also wrecked. A turban was also tossed on to the ground in the clash, few meters away from the sanctum sanctorum.
The police, present inside the complex in plain clothes, managed to gain control of the situation.
In 2014 also, a clash had occurred between radical Sikh activists and the task force of the SGPC on the anniversary of Operation Bluestar, leaving several people injured in the Golden Temple complex.