In A First, No Message By Akhal Takht Leader On Op Blue Star Anniversary
For the first time during the anniversary of Operation Blue Star, the acting Jathedar of Akal Takht, the highest temporal body of Sikhs, Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, did not deliver the customary message to the Sikh community. Instead, Kuldeep Singh Gargaj performed a prayer during which he stated that the message was being conveyed through the prayer itself.
This marks a significant break from tradition. In previous years, the Akal Takht Jathedar would directly address the community with a message on the anniversary. However, this year, the event was conducted under heavy security in Amritsar, and tension was visible over whether Mr Gargaj should be allowed to speak.
Several Sikh organisations had objected to Mr Gargaj delivering any message, arguing that his appointment as acting Jathedar was not conducted in accordance with established religious traditions and ceremonies. To avoid confrontation, Mr Gargaj chose not to deliver a speech and limited his role to offering prayers inside the Golden Temple complex on Friday, the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star.
Tensions with Damdami Taksal Chief
The controversy deepened due to open opposition from another Sikh organisation called Damdami Taksal and its chief Harnam Singh Dhumma, who has been vocal against Mr Gargaj's appointment since March. Mr Dhumma has claimed that the selection process lacked adherence to traditional religious procedures and did not enjoy widespread support among the Sikh community.
According to sources, Mr Dhumma had placed a condition that Mr Gargaj must refrain from issuing any message to ensure peaceful observance of the anniversary. In light of this, Mr Gargaj avoided any direct address and limited his communication to what was expressed during the prayer.
Prayer Mentions Sikh Concerns
During the prayer, Mr Gargaj raised several issues, including alleged targeting of Sikhs in India and abroad, the ongoing concept and discourse around a Sikh homeland and perceived discrimination faced by the Sikh community.
Speaking to NDTV, Mr Gargaj said, "I have conveyed my message in the ardas (prayer) which I performed during the anniversary." He further added that he wanted to avoid any confrontation within the Sikh community.
During the prayer session inside the Golden Temple, emotions ran high. Some Sikh organisations reportedly raised slogans in support of Khalistan. In the wake of Operation Blue Star's anniversary, several Sikh organisations called for a bandh (shutdown) in Amritsar. Heavy security was deployed across the city, especially at sensitive locations and around the Golden Temple complex, to prevent any incidents.
Police personnel in plain clothes were also stationed inside the Golden Temple to ensure peace and monitor any signs of confrontation or unrest.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
Cong releases list of 71 district presidents in MP; OBC leaders given maximum representation
Other Backward Classes account for around 49 per cent of MP's population. The ruling BJP, incidentally, has had OBC chief ministers in the state since 2003, including Uma Bharti, Babulal Gaur, Shivraj Singh Chouhan and incumbent Mohan Yadav. Senior party leader Digvijaya Singh's MLA son and former state minister Jaivardhan Singh has been made Guna district president, a Congress leader said. Bhopal, Aug 16 (PTI) The Congress on Saturday released a list 71 district presidents in Madhya Pradesh, with a sizable 20-odd being those from the OBC category, followed by Dalits and tribals. The Congress' list has four women. These are Vijaylaxmi Tanwar, who has been made Agar Malwa district president, Pratibha Raghuvanshi in Khandwa city, Sunita Patel in Narsinghpur and Saraswati Singh Markam in Singrauli. A Congress leader said Omkar Singh Markam has been appointed Dindori district president, Priyavrat Singh has been given the post in Rajgarh and Harshvijay Gehlot has been made as Ratlam rural chief. They are all former state ministers. In Bhopal, Praveen Saxena and Anokhi Man Singh Patel were retained as city and rural presidents, respectively. Eleven former legislators have been made district presidents. From the minority community, Arif Iqbal Siddiqui replaced Maqsood Ahmed in Satna as city chief. In all the party has retained 18 district presidents, including Nanesh Choudhary (Barwani), Ravi Naik (Khargone), Prakash Ranka (Jhabua), Nareshwar Pratap Singh (Shajapur), Mukesh Bhati (Ujjain city), Mohit Raghuvanshi (Vidisha), and Rajeev Gujarati (Sehore). In Burhanpur, Congress leader Hemant Patil resigned from all party posts after being denied the rural district president's position. He was the district Congress spokesperson as well. 'I will remain a worker,' he told PTI. His is the first resignation following the announcement of the list. There are leaders from the SC/ST categories as well as two Muslims, two Jains, one Sikh in the list, another Congress leader added. 'The list has come in line with the vision of Rahul Gandhi who wants participation of all communities, especially OBCs, SCs and STs. Gandhi has been advocating caste-based census to end economic and social disparity,' he said. The list released by AICC general secretary K C Venugopal has come two months after Gandhi kicked off his party's 'Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan' (organisation rejuvenation campaign) in Madhya Pradesh. On June 3, Gandhi held back-to-back meetings here with party functionaries as part of preparations for the 2028 MP assembly polls. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP swept all 29 seats in MP, including Chhindwara, the home turf of senior leader and former chief minister Kamal Nath. The Congress has been out of power in MP since 2003, except for a brief 15-month period between December 2018 and March 2020 under Nath. The Nath government collapsed after several MLAs, most of them loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia, quit and joined the BJP. The BJP retained power with a huge majority in the 2023 assembly polls. PTI LAL BNM This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Sikh family attacked in MP's Bhind, protesters seek action against cops
A non-resident Indian (NRI) family from the United Kingdom was pelted with stones following a dispute with police in Bhind in Madhya Pradesh, leaving two children injured and their car damaged, an official said on Saturday. The incident took place on Thursday on the Station Road near Fatehpur village in Gohad tehsil, following which the Sikh community, to which the family belongs, held protests, including near the Gohad Chauraha police station, seeking stringent action against those involved. Local Congress MLA Keshav Desai joins the protest in Gohad, about 40 km from the district headquarters, says he will ensure the constable is booked and the SHO is transferred. The protesters, who wanted an FIR against constable Kuldeep Kushwaha and transfer of the station house officer, called off the stir after superintendent of police Asit Yadav assured them of strict action following a fair probe, local Sikh community leader Karan Singh said. Kushwaha was sent to police lines, SP Yadav said while denying that the constable was taken off field duty on Friday after the NRI family contacted embassy authorities in Delhi. 'The two children sustained only bruises. The constable was not directly involved in the incident. First, we will register an FIR against unidentified people who indulged in the act. Action will be taken on the basis of further investigation. This is a rash and negligent act. They threw stones to stop the vehicle, which resulted in its windows getting damaged, as well as injuries to those inside,' the SP said. 'The attackers are being identified. It was not an attack. It was a miscommunication between the two (NRI and policeman). Both had a heated argument. The two sides did not know each other. I have spoken to the NRI family,' the SP added. Local Congress MLA Keshav Desai, who joined the protest in Gohad, about 40 km from the district headquarters, said he would ensure the constable is booked and the SHO is transferred. 'Dr Vikramjeet Singh, his wife Rajveer Kaur, daughter Ravneet Kaur and son Rohanpreet Singh came to Fatehpur village on August 14. Fatehpur is Rajveer Kaur's native village. Kushwaha, dressed in civil clothes, argued with them while their car was parked on Station Road to buy fruits and sweets,' Desai said. 'Kushwaha recorded a video of the vehicle, to which Dr Singh objected. Kushwaha threatened Dr Singh, who, possibly out of fear, tried to speed away. His vehicle was stopped by unidentified persons and his family attacked with sticks and stones near a dhaba. The children were injured and the vehicles windows were damaged,' Desai added.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Akal Takht jathedar seeks reopening of Kartarpur Corridor
Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, the acting Akal Takht jathedar, has sought the reopening of the Kartarpur Corridor that facilitates Indian Sikh devotees' pilgrimage to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. The corridor has remained shut since May 7, when the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor targeting terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives on April 22. (HT file photo) The corridor has remained shut since May 7, when the Indian armed forces launched Operation Sindoor targeting terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam attack that claimed 26 lives on April 22. Gargaj said ahead of the 'Jyoti Jot Diwas' (death anniversary) of Guru Nanak Dev in September, reopening the Kartarpur Corridor would allow the 'sangat' (congregation) to pay obeisance at the sacred religious site. In a statement issued here, Gargaj called upon the Centre to take swift action to reopen the corridor. The Kartarpur Corridor was opened during the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev, fulfilling a long-standing demand of the Sikh community to access one of their holiest shrines without a visa. The 4.7-km passage connects Dera Baba Nanak Sahib in India's Gurdaspur and Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur, believed to be the final resting place of Guru Nanak Dev. 'However, due to recent tensions between the two nations, the corridor was closed. The Sikh community and Punjabis have been urging the government to reopen it soon,' Gargaj said. Stating that Punjabis were still enduring the anguish of Partition, Gargaj said such division and bloodshed should never occur anywhere in the world again. He said in remembrance of all Punjabis who were killed in 1947, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has been organising 'ardas' (Sikh prayer) at the Akal Takht. He said in 1947, Punjabis, especially Sikhs, on the western side of Punjab, were forced to leave behind their precious and fertile lands due to Partition. They also endured the pain of losing over 200 religious places, including the sacred birthplace of Guru Nanak Dev at Gurdwara Nankana Sahib, Gargaj said.
