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Quom comes together to
pay homage to the martyrs
25 years later, demand remains same: release Sikhs from jail
Sach Kanwal Singh
 AMRITSAR:
Twenty five years after tanks rolled into Sri Darbar Sahib, and the
Indian nation state singed Sri Akal Takht Sahib and the heart of the
Sikh nation, the entire quom came together to pay homage to the
memory of the martyrs who went down fighting, all guns blazing, and
to vow once again that neither shall the sacrifices go in vain nor
shall the community waver from the path shown by the great Gurus.
At a well attended
conclave at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh in
a clarion call to the community urged for inspiration from the
tradition of martyrdom and adopt the bani and bana as per Sikhism
and be ever ready to make any sacrifice for the maan-maryada of Guru
Ghar.
The entire quom
came together to honour the kin of the martyrs. Described variously
as moderates, radicals, militants, and what not, all colours of Sikh
leadership unitedly participated in the conclave marking the 25th
anniversary of the dastardly Indian attack on Sikhism, Sikhs, the
Quom's heritage and its future generations.
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Soon after the Jathedar of the Akal
Takht had spoken, Sardar Simranjit Singh Mann raised slogans in
favour of Khalistan. Soon, the SGPC brass and the task force was
sidelined and it was time for some plain speaking. Bhai Daljit
Singh Bittu and Harinder Singh Khalsa, the former Indian
ambassador in Norway, both of SAD (Panch Pradhani), articulated
the need for a Sikh homeland.
No one from the Akali Dal or the
Punjab government cared to even acknowledge or react to Akal
Takht jathedar’s directive to ensure the release of the Sikhs
still in jails since the Army operation in June 1984.
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One of the key
players from the 1984 Saka, Prakash Singh Badal, currently the Chief
Minister of Punjab, and his Akali Dal president son Sukhbir Singh
Badal, were not seen either at Sri Akal Takht Sahib or at any
gurdwara on this 25th anniversary of Operation Bluestar,
nor did they before or after make even any reference to the great
tragedy. Badal has not uttered the name of Sant Jarnail Singh
Bhindrwanwale in years now and his son speaks less about the quom
and more about air conditioned bus depots.
Held under the
aegis of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the conclave saw the bhog of Sri
Akhand Path Sahib, then kirtan by Huzuri Ragi Bhai Nirmal Singh's
jatha, and Ardas by Sri Harmandir Sahib's Ardasiya, Bhai
Dharam Singh and Hukumnama by Singh Sahib Giani Sukhjinder Singh.
The Akal Takht
Jathedar said from the time of the Sikh Gurus, the community has
seen a long history of atrocities and struggle but the 1984 Saka Sri
Akal Takht Sahib was an attack on the sangat by the Indian
army in the country that Sikhs themselves helped liberate.
He said during this
Saka, the head of the Damdami taksal, Sant Jarnail Singh Khalsa
Bhindrawale, General Subeg Singh and Baba Thahra Singh and hundreds
of other Sikh fighters attained martyrdom to safeguard the maryada
of the Guru Ghar.
He said the then
government threw many in jails and many of them are still
languishing in these jails. Time and again appeals have been made to
the government that these youth have now turned into middle aged or
old men and should be immediately be released but no government has
paid attention.
The Jathedar,
reflecting the anguish of the entire community said the guilty of
the 1984 anti-Sikh genocide in Delhi and elsewhere in the country
have still not been punished. The wounds of the community are still
raw and the continuous encouragement to Gurudom and Deravad was the
new form of attack on Sikhism. Giving a clarion call to the Sikh
nation he said it was time for all shades of the community, the Sikh
sampardais, and panthic parties to take up the gigantic task of
spreading the word of the Guru to stem the tide of Deravad.
 Among
those who were honoured by the Guru Ghar and the Sikh nation were
Bhai Kuldip Singh, nephew of Sant Bhindrawale, wife, daughter and
son of Shaheed Bhai Amrik Singh, the family members of General Subeg
Singh and Baba Thahra Singh.
The ceremony was
attended by Takht Kesgarh Sahib Jathedar Giani Tarlochan Singh,
additional head granthi of Sir Harmandir Sahib Giani Mohan Singh,
granthi Giani Mal Singh, Singh Sahib Giani Jagtar Singh, Singh Sahib
Giani Man Singh, Singh Sahib Giani Sukhjinder Singh, Jathedar Avtar
Singh Makkar, president of SGPC, SGPC executive members Bhai
Rajinder Singh Mehta and Sant Tek Singh Dhanaula and SGPC members
Baldev Singh, Kashmir Singh Bariar, Savinder Singh Dobalia, Ragubir
Singh Saharanmajra, Sant Jasvir Singh Kalamala, and many other Akali
leaders.
Fomer Akal Takht
jathedars Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Giani Puran Singh and Bhai
Jasbir Singh Rode were also present.
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CM Prakash Singh Badal, a key player from the
1984 tragedy, and his Akali Dal president son Sukhbir Singh
Badal, were neither seen at Sri Akal Takht Sahib nor at any
other gurdwara on this 25th anniversary of Operation
Bluestar. They did not make any reference to the great tragedy
in recent days. |
Damdami Taksal head
Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa and Damdami Taksal (sangravan) Bhai Ram
Singh, Akhand Kirtani Jatha's head Giani Baldev Singh, Khalsa Action
Committee chief Bhai Mokam Singh, Dal Khalsa's Bhai Kanwarpal Singh,
Jasbir Singh Ghuman, Baba Nihal Singh Harian Velanwale, Bidhi Chand
Samparda's Baba Avtar Singh Sursingh, youth Akali Dal's Kiranbir
Singh Kang, AISSF's various faction leaders Gurcharan Singh Grewal,
Manjit Singh Bhoma, Karnail Singh Pirmohammed, Gursev Singh
Harpalpur, Akali Dal Amritsar's Simranjit Singh Mann, Bhai Ram
Singh, Jarnail Singh Sakheera, Shaheed Bhai Amrik Singh's son Sardar
Tarlochan Singh, Kuldip Singh Rode, Harminder Singh Gill, Akal
Federation's Bhai Narain Singh, Bibi Sandeep Kaur of Dharam Singh
Kashtiwal Trust, Bibi Parveen Kaur (accused of bomb attack on Dera
Sirsa head) and Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra, apart from many SGPC
officials and staff were also present.
10 June 2009 |
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