Latest news with #OperationBlueStar
New Indian Express
7 hours ago
- General
- New Indian Express
Tension prevails over likelihood of protest if Akal Takht officiates Gargaj to address Sikh community ahead of Op Blue Star anniversary
CHANDIGARH: As the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star approaches on June 6 (Friday), the situation remains tense due to the possibility of the protest at the Akal Takht (Highest Temporal seat of Sikhs). The officiating Jathedar (High Priest) Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj is likely to address the sikh community on the anniversary. The Sikh hardliner group Damdami Taksal's chief, Harnam Singh Dhumma, has demanded that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) should stop Gargaj from doing so, as he has not been accepted by the Sikh community as the Jathedar. Also, Nihang announced that they will not allow it to happen. Thus, SGPC is worried as it may be challenging to maintain peace during the commemoration. Meanwhile, SGPC is trying to strike a compromise to defuse the issue. Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami had recently visited the headquarters of Taksal at Gurdwara Gurdarshan Parkash at Chowk Mehta village. A meeting that lasted for over one and a half hours to strike a compromise, assured that the issue would be resolved before the event. Hoping for an amicable solution, Dhami said that a meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. Meanwhile, Takshal's chief Dhumma does not want Gargaj to deliver the customary speech on June 6, as various Sikh bodies have not approved his appointment. "SGPC has never indulged in confrontation with Damdami Taksal. I hope an amicable solution will be worked out before the anniversary,'' he said. Dhumma, who is now close to the Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP) following his support to the saffron party's Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra last November, has been reiterating that if Gargaj addresses the gathering, it will vitiate the atmosphere. He added that they do not want any clash during the event and are fully ready to cooperate with the SGPC. However, he said that they have been appealing that SGPC should appoint a Jathedar who is approved by the community and highlighted that the Gargaj is not approved by everyone. "If a conflicting situation arises on that occasion, the responsibility will lie with the president of the SGPC,' he asserted.
Indian Express
17 hours ago
- General
- Indian Express
Operation Blue Star
OPERATION BLUE STAR NEWS Operation Blue Star: Reading between the lines of a deleted social media post by Punjab BJP June 04, 2025 5:44 am Tribute by party to 'all martyrs' of the operation at Golden Temple, before it took down the past, could indicate a break from the party's measured stance in the past. Rivals believe the reason more mundane: a bypoll Military Digest: Sikh soldiers' desertions, disbandment of 9th Battalion after Operation Blue Star June 16, 2024 2:22 pm A court of inquiry found that on June 4, 1984, a signature campaign was initiated in the battalion to enlist volunteers willing to go to Amritsar in case the need arose. Military Digest: 40 years of Op Blue Star -- Recalling Lt Gen Sinha's firm views on Army storming Mehta Chowk Gurdwara June 09, 2024 4:26 pm There has been much speculation that the resistance of Lt Gen Sinha to use his troops at Mehta Chowk Gurdwara may have cost him his appointment as Chief of Army Staff. 39 years since Operation Bluestar: What led up to it, what happened June 06, 2023 1:34 pm Today marks 39 years of Operation Bluestar, in which the Indian army stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar to flush out militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers. Amritsar: Dal Khalsa takes out march on eve of Operation Blue Star anniversary, calls for bandh today June 06, 2023 7:29 am Operation Blue Star was carried out by the Indian Army in June 1984 in order to capture pro-Khalistan ideologue Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and flush out other militants holed up in the Golden Temple. SGPC chief Dhami meets Amit Shah; no talks on Rs 1000-cr suit over Op Blue Star June 04, 2023 8:53 am In 1985, the SGPC filed a lawsuit against the Union government for having carried out Operation Blue Star a year before, for which 39th anniversary will be observed at Akal Takht on June 6. Punjab Police conducts flag marches ahead of Op Blue Star anniversary June 02, 2023 9:15 am 'Punjab Police will ensure peaceful observance of the Operation Bluestar Anniversary, for which foolproof arrangements are in place and adequate security has also been deployed across the state,' said Special DGP Law and Order Arpit Shukla. The Express View: Slipping in Punjab February 25, 2023 6:48 am The state has no appetite for a return to the violent 1980s. State and central governments must not yield space to radical elements Lt Gen K S Brar's remarks on Operation Blue Star spark row in Punjab February 02, 2023 1:51 pm The late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi 'allowed' Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale to 'become Frankenstein', Lt Gen (Retd) Kuldeep Singh Brar said in a recent interview on Operation Blue Star. As Rahul Gandhi visits Golden Temple, Oppn parties invoke history to attack Bharat Jodo Yatra January 11, 2023 10:01 am While the Shiromani Akali Dal said that the Gandhi family is the 'same family which attacked Harmandir Sahib', the BJP said the Bharat Jodo Yatra will 'freshen wounds caused by Congress'. Load More OPERATION BLUE STAR PHOTOS Operation Blue Star's 37th anniversary: Security stepped up at Golden Temple June 06, 2021 11:25 am Operation Bluestar was a military action ordered by then PM Indira Gandhi to flush out Sikh militants holed up in Harmandir Sahib Complex (Golden Temple) in Amritsar. It is said that nearly 3,000 Sikhs were killed during the operation. Operation Bluestar: Rare pictures from Express archives June 06, 2016 8:18 pm The Operation Blue Star was planned by the Indira Gandhi government in collaboration with the Indian Army. Lasting ten days, it was carried out using tanks, helicopters and artillery.
Indian Express
a day ago
- General
- Indian Express
Operation Blue Star: Reading between the lines of a deleted social media post by Punjab BJP
In a move that has stirred political debate, the Punjab unit of the BJP on June 1 posted, and deleted within four hours, a Facebook tribute referring to 'all' those killed during Operation Blue Star as 'martyrs' – a first for the party in the 40-plus years since the military operation inside the Golden Temple. The now-deleted post, written in Punjabi, read: '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.' The accompanying image featured archival visuals of Indian Army tanks inside the Golden Temple complex and damage to the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, in the operation. The Punjab BJP has traditionally treaded a thin line over Operation Blue Star, balancing the sentiments of former ally Shiromani Akali Dal and the party's own 'nationalistic', Hindutva stand. The use of emotionally charged terminology like 'martyrs' in the context of Operation Blue Star hence stands out. Urging that not much be read into the deleted post, a senior BJP leader told The Indian Express that the party only meant to invoke the 'dark and painful chapter in Indian history'. Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said the focus should be on the party's 'intentions' rather than the wording of the post. 'One should look at the intent of putting balm on the wounds of the 1984 riot victims, not just the content,' Jakhar said, pointing to the Delhi BJP government's actions regarding the victims of the anti-Sikh riots. The violence had followed Indira Gandhi's assassination over her role in ordering Operation Blue Star as the Prime Minister. 'Our actions speak louder than words. Just last week, the Delhi Chief Minister gave jobs to 125 family members of 1984 riot victims – something no one did in the past. It was a historic step,' Jakhar said. Asked why the post was removed by the BJP, Jakhar said: 'Sometimes social media handlers post content without proper approval of the leadership. There might have been something in the post that needed correction. However, the overall intent of the party should be the focus.' In fact, the BJP has been pretty consistent in its condemnation of the Congress government's role, even as it defended Operation Blue Star as a necessary military action to eliminate terrorism and restore order in Punjab. The party believes it were failures of the Congress government that led to the situation where militants holed up inside the Golden Temple, leaving little recourse but Army action. In Punjab, the BJP line has been more modulated, keeping in mind regional sensitivities and Sikh sentiments. Hence, it has occasionally expressed sympathy for those killed in the operation, without directly criticising the Army. The fact that the Akali Dal always strongly condemned the operation also influenced this positioning. However, within these limitations as well, the BJP has been sharpening its attack against the Congress on the military action. In 2009, Arun Jaitley, the late BJP leader and then the party's general secretary, called Operation Blue Star a 'historic blunder' at a press conference in Jalandhar ahead of the general elections. In August 2023, during a debate on the no-confidence motion moved against his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the operation 'an attack on the Akal Takht'. It was the first time the party used that framing, largely used by Sikh voices, to describe the operation. Attacking Congress governments of the past, Modi drew parallels between the 1984 operation and the Indian Air Force's bombing in Mizoram in 1966. 'They (the Congress government) had become used to such actions since Mizoram, and that mindset led to the Akal Takht being attacked,' he said. The BJP's now-deleted post has also drawn attention since it coincided with the anniversary of the Operation Blue Star, which began on June 1 – the BJP has traditionally maintained its distance from events held to mark it. BJP rivals link both the sharing of the post and its prompt deletion to the coming Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll. The Aam Aadmi Party candidate contesting the seat is currently a Rajya Sabha MP, and if he wins the bypoll, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal could take the parliamentary seat that falls vacant. While the BJP has made inroads with the Hindu votes in Punjab, it is Sikh support that is crucial if the party wants to make it alone in the state, and the controversial post is being seen in this light. Jakhar lists the many steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi showing his 'deep respect for Punjab and Punjabis', including the opening of the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor, commemoration of Guru Nanak Dev's 500th anniversary and Guru Tegh Bahadur's martyrdom, and the declaration of Veer Bal Diwas to honour the martyrdom of Guru Gobind Singh's sons, apart from 'justice' for the 1984 riot victims. 'These steps reflect the PM's priority for Punjab and its people,' Jakhar said. Surjit Singh, the president of the 1984 Riot Victims' Welfare Society in Punjab, acknowledged the BJP government's efforts to support riot victims, but questioned the timing and subsequent deletion of the June 1 post by the BJP. 'They may have done it keeping in mind the Ludhiana West bypoll, wanting to appeal to voters across communities,' he said, adding that all parties 'use such strategies during elections'. Akali Dal spokesperson Daljeet Singh Cheema attacked the BJP, saying the party needed to explain its actions in putting up and then deleting the post.
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Dhami's meeting with Dhumma fails to yield a breakthrough
A day after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) accused Damdami Taksal head Harnam Singh Dhumma of 'acting under the influence of government agencies', Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Monday met Dhumma in a bid to ease tensions. Dhumma drew SAD flak after he declared that Akal Takht acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargarj would 'not be allowed to deliver any message' to the Sikh community on the 40th anniversary of Operation Blue Star on June 6. 'Gargarj is not recognised as a Panth-approved Jathedar and has already been declared 'tankhaiya' (under religious penalty) by the Panj Pyare by the Takht Patna Sahib,' Dhumma had said. Questioning Dhumma's motives, SAD leader Parambans Singh Romana said, 'Is this being done at someone's behest? On one hand, we had a Taksal head who sacrificed his life for the dignity of the Akal Takht, while on the other, we have one acting as an agent trying to derail events meant to pay tributes to martyrs.' Dhami's meeting with Dhumma failed to yield a breakthrough as the latter remained adamant on his position and warned of 'serious consequences' if his concerns were not addressed. Speaking after the meeting, Dhumma said, 'We support peace during the June 6 events, but someone who lacks legitimacy cannot be allowed to issue messages on behalf of the Takht. If such actions continue, tensions will escalate. The SGPC has assured us that they will seek a resolution.' Romana had also said, 'Every year, the Sikh community organises programmes to pay homage to the martyrs. Sadly, Harnam Singh Dhumma is trying to sabotage these commemorations.'
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Business Standard
2 days ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Punjab BJP deletes tribute post for those killed during Operation Bluestar
The Punjab BJP has deleted a social media post in which it paid tributes to "martyrs" of Operation Blue Star, the Army operation which was carried out in June 1984 to flush out armed militants from the Golden Temple. The post on X was shared on Sunday but it was taken down later without assigning any reason for the same. In the post, the Punjab BJP had condemned the then Congress government for "attacking the Golden Temple" and expressed solidarity with the families of those who lost their lives. The post, which has now been deleted, read, "June 1, 1984'?' 'Saka Neela Tara'. A humble tribute to all the martyrs of the day one of the attack on the Darbar Sahib by the Congress government." In a statement, Gargaj stated, "In June 1984, when Sikh devotees had gathered to observe the martyrdom day of the fifth Guru, Guru Arjan Dev, the then Congress-led government launched a military assault using tanks, artillery, and bullets on the central Sikh religious place, Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib, and Sri Akal Takht Sahib." He said, "the Sikh community can never forget the military attack of June 1984. "The first week of June each year is a deeply emotional and solemn time for the 'Panth', when martyrs are remembered," he said. The jathedar urged that from June 1 to 6, special 'Gurmat Samagams' (religious congregations), lectures, and seminars should be organised globally by Sikhs. He also instructed all gurdwara management committees to hold special Sri Akhand Path Sahib recitations and invite historians and preachers to gurdwaras to educate 'sangat' (congregation) about the events of June 1984 and November 1984 (anti-Sikh riots).
