JOIN USThe Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee (SGPC), the Sikh religious body which manages a majority of the Sikh shrines in the country, observed the 29th anniversary of “Operation Bluestar” at the Golden Temple in Amritsar on Thursday.
Pro-Khalistan slogans
Supporters of radical organisations, who attended the event, reportedly shouted “pro-Khalistan” slogans, along with activists of the SAD (Amritsar).
The kin of Khalistan ideologue Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale, who was killed in the military operation in 1984, and others were honoured on the occasion.
This was the first anniversary of the Operation Bluestar after a memorial was erected in the shrine complex in honour of those killed in the military operation.
The event passed off peacefully amid tight security.
The SGPC commemorates the anniversary every year. There were certain concerns this year over the memorial which sparked off a controversy since it has a marble plaque at the entrance that names Bhindrawale.
The SGPC organised an “Akhand Path” of Sri Guru Granth Sahib on June 4 in memory of Bhindranwale and others.
The “bhog” ceremony was held on Thursday. During the ceremony, Giani Gurbachan Singh, the Jathedar of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, read out a written speech that criticised the Congress government for launching an armed attack on the temple in 1984. Thursday’s event was held inside Sri Akal Takhat Sahib.