Sharing photo of Army tank, BJP Punjab pays tribute to victims of 1984 Operation Blue Star

Indian Express

2 days ago

The BJP's Punjab unit has issued a public tribute to the victims of Operation Blue Star–the Army operation carried out to root out militants from Amritsar's Golden Temple in 1984–in a strongly worded Facebook post that described it as a 'dark and painful chapter in Indian history'.
The party condemned the then Congress-led government's military operation inside the revered shrine and expressed solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives.
The image accompanying the post features visuals from 1984, including Indian Army tanks inside and the damage to the Akal Takht, reflecting the intense impact of the operation.
The post in Punjabi reads, 'June 1,1984–'Saka Neela Tara'. A tribute to all the martyrs who lost their lives on the first day of the attack carried out by the Congress government on the Darbar Sahib.'
Meanwhile, Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargaj appealed to the Sikh community to observe the first week of June as Shaheedi Hafta (martyrdom week) in memory of those killed during the 'June 1984 Ghallughara'.
'The Sikh community can never forget the military attack of June 1984,' Jathedar Gargaj said on Sunday. 'These martyrs sacrificed their lives for the nation, and they will always hold a place of utmost respect in the hearts of the Sikhs.'
Jathedar Gargaj's statement recalled that in June 1984, 'a military operation was conducted by the then Congress-led government at Sri Harmandar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht Sahib'.
'The assault took place when Sikh devotees had gathered to observe the martyrdom day of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji,' he said, adding that the operation led to the deaths of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, Bhai Amrik Singh, Baba Thara Singh, General Shabeg Singh, and others.
The jathedar called for organising Gurmat Samagams, lectures, and seminars from June 1 to June 6 globally. 'It is the need of the hour to compile and publish the history of all the martyrs of June 1984 in both Punjabi and English on a large scale and present it before the global community,' he said.
Gargaj also urged gurdwara committees to hold Sri Akhand Path Sahib or Sri Sukhmani Sahib recitations and invite scholars to educate the Sikh community on the events of June and November (anti-Sikh riots) 1984.
'Certain forces have covertly attempted to prevent the Sikh community from remembering the martyrs of June 1984,' he stated. 'But the community has always remembered its martyrs with unwavering spirit and will continue to do so.'
The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) has uploaded a video on Facebook in connection with the anniversary week.
'This was the dark day when, on the orders of the Congress government, the Indian Army surrounded both the inside and outside of our most sacred place. Without any warning, from noon until 8 p.m., firing took place inside the Sri Darbar Sahib Complex, during which innocent devotees who had come for darshan were martyred, and many others were injured. This wound inflicted by the Congress government is something the Sikh community can never forget,' reads the message posted along with the video.