'Operation Bluestar' anniversary peaceful

By Sarabjit Pandher

AMRITSAR, JUNE 6. The Jathedar of the Akal Takht, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, today criticised Parliament for neither condemning nor expressing any remorse over the killings of innocent devotees and desecration of the holiest of Sikh shrines during ``Operation Bluestar'', when the Army stormed the Golden Temple in 1984.

Giani Vedanti, who was installed as the chief of the highest spiritual and temporal institution of the Sikh religion recently, was addressing a gathering, mainly of leaders and activists of right-wing radical organisations, on the first floor of the Akal Takht inside the Golden Temple here to mark the 16th anniversary of ``Operation Bluestar.'' A small crowd waited in the courtyard facing the building to listen to the Jathedar's message. The event passed off peacefully, thanks to the police making elaborate arrangements in and around the shrine.

The Jathedar narrated how the then Union government had resorted to the use of heavy armament including tanks to massacre a large number innocent devotees who had gathered inside the shrine. Without naming any individual, he paid tributes to the ``martyrs'' who laid down their lives while defending the Golden Temple. Various radical outfits had been demanding that the militant leader, Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, be declared a ``martyr.''

Giani Vedanti further sought to glorify the assassination of Mrs. Indira Gandhi, arguing that Sikh history had numerous instances in which those responsible for desecrating and destroying the shrine were made to pay a heavy price.

Apart from Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was present in her capacity as president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the factions of the mainstream Akali Dal led by the Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, and the Mr. G.S. Tohra, stayed away from the meeting. Other who attended included the president of the Akali Dal (Amritsar) and M.P., Mr. Simranjit Singh Mann, a spokesman of the erstwhile banned organisation, Dal Khalsa International, Mr. Kanwarpal Singh Bittu, the Chairman of the Human Rights and Democratic Forum, Mr. Jaspal Singh Dhillon, the president of the Sikh League, Mr. D.S. Gill, and a spokesman of the Akal Federation, Bhai Narain Singh.

The Amritsar district police and the SGPC task force prevented the pro-Tohra faction of the All-India Sikh Students' Federation from organising a separate meeting at Gurdwara Shaheedan. The students staged a dharna outside the gurdwara, accusing the SGPC and the Chief Minister of curtailing democratic rights of the people. The police also detained four leaders of some human rights organisations when they tried to organise a march from the Bhai Gurdas Hall to the Golden Temple. The marchers were carrying portraits of ``martyrs'' of the Operation Bluestar including Sant Bhindranwale.

The memorial event began in the morning, with a bhog ceremony of the Akand Path (uninterrupted recitation of the holy scriptures) in memory of the ``martyrs.'' The `ragis' later performed kirtan, even as the flow of the devotees was less than what was seen on normal days. The Jathedar of the Takht Damdama Sahib, Giani Kewal Singh performed `Ardas'.

Mann calls for resolution

Addressing presspersons, Mr. Mann said the speech of the Jathedar, though significant in many ways, fell short as he did not bestow the honour of martyrdom on Sant Bhindranwale.

Mr. Mann demanded that the Punjab Government ensure that a resolution condemning ``Operation Bluestar'' was passed in the Assembly.

In a separate statement, the Dal Khalsa International, advocating the passing of a resolution in the Assembly, demanded construction of a fitting memorial for those killed in the army action.

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