Op Bluestar anniv: Sikh community faces internal challenges, divisions

Time of India

2 days ago

Jalandhar: Observing the 41st anniversary of Operation Bluestar, when Sikhs express anguish and make it evident that wounds of the army action at Golden Temple remain unhealed in their collective memory, it has become evident that in addition to challenges from outside, the community is now facing bigger challenges from within.
Riddled by a serious leadership crisis, internal conflicts are dominating major Sikh institutions, leading to erosion of their prestige and authority. Six months after the spectacle at Akal Takht on Dec 2 last year, when the world saw the most powerful political leaders of the community kneel before Sikh high priests, things have reached a point that a showdown is apprehended as warnings have been repeatedly issued that Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj would not be allowed to speak or honour the families of the "martyrs" killed in the 1984 army action.
In case a clash happens, it would not only add a blemished chapter to Sikh history, but would also be an irony as it would happen on such a sombre occasion and at the most sacred place for Sikhism, defiling of which remains a festering wound. Though some ruckus and, at times, scuffles have taken place on earlier occasions, these were between radicals and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) establishment.
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This time, fault lines are very different, and there are apprehensions of things taking a nastier turn, as an organisation like the taksal is involved.
Damdami Taksal head Baba Harnam Singh Dhumma, an ally of Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD until a few months ago, is at the centre of issuing warnings against Gargaj speaking on the occasion, while arguing that maryada was not followed for his appointment and he was not sarb-parvaanat (acceptable to all).
He renewed his warning on Thursday afternoon, and this has pushed the stakes high for either side. Nihang leader Baba Balbir Singh and a couple of other Nihang groups have also joined the chorus.
Interestingly, a few leaders and groups who had dual loyalty towards taksal and Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD are now clearly siding with the taksal, when a line has been drawn between the two.
SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami, known for his personal rapport with the taksal chief and giving cushion to him even as some SAD leaders attacked the latter, called on Dhumma, but he could not resolve the situation.
He has not publicly given his take thereafter.
Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president and three-time former MP Simranjit Singh Mann, who was considered the contrarian on earlier occasions, is supporting Gargaj and has exchanged barbs with the taksal chief on his warnings.
Radical groups, for instance Dal Khalsa, have been urging to avert any clash, so that the solemnity of the occasion is not violated.
Dissenting Akali leaders, who have not been leaving any chance to take a dig at Sukhbir and had earlier protested against the unceremonious sacking of jathedars of three takhts, have been staying silent. Scores of Sikh netizens have expressed concern about the mounting tension, and the common refrain is that a clash should not take place. As the stakes are high on either side, another round of narrative war is also expected.
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