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Committee formed for Recovery of the
Sikh Reference Library material
WSN Bureau
 AMRITSAR: During
Indian Army attack (codenamed Operation Blue Star), on the Darbar
Sahib and Akal Takht (Amritsar) in June 1984, the cultural,
historical and religious heritage of the Sikhs was destroyed
intentionally. The Sikh Reference Library in the Golden Temple
complex was also attacked, looted and taken away by the Indian army.
And a rumour was spread that the library was destroyed in fire
during the army operation. But many eminent Sikhs made it public
that the library was looted by the army and taken away in bags and
trunks. For the last 25 years, no serious attempt was made by the
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to list:
i. the documents, books and manuscripts etc taken away by
the army
ii. the artefacts etc returned by the army to the SGPC
iii. the number of articles still to be recovered from the
army and its outfits
iv. the loot of paintings from the
Central
Sikh Museum and their whereabouts
v. the relics of the Tosha-khana taken away by the army and
their return, if any.
Buta Singh, the then Union Home Minister, confessed before
the former jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kirpal Singh that
the army carried 125 bags away. In a case (writ petition 11301 of
2003), decided on
April 26, 2004 by
the Punjab and Haryana High Court, the following points emerged
that:
a) Ranjit Singh Nanda handed over the books to Manjit
Singh Calcutta, and pictures of this handing over ceremony were
published in daily Ajit in 1987.
b) The library material was filled in 190 bags and taken
to the CBI headquarters at Youth Hostel and every bag was numbered
with black ink.
c) After thorough check-up and sorting out all the items
plundered from the Darbar Sahib, a list of 160/165 bags made.
d) Out of the looted items, some hand written Pothis (Sri
Guru Granth Sahib) and Hukam-namas returned.
e) All the bags were put in 12 big trunks specially made
by a firm situated in front of the
Golden Temple
complex in Kathia bazaar.
f) The Hukam-namas (of Sikh Gurus and holy mothers)
were delivered back in 1991 and entered at Serial Nos 7034-7062 of
1991 and earlier these were entered at Nos 6222-6266.
g) The army had handed over about 4000 documents to the
CBI in case No RC/2/84 (CBI,
New Delhi).
h) Some historical items were handed over to Mohan Singh,
the Curator,
Punjab Government
Museum on 13-9-1984
i) Like wise some precious items, including Gold,
Silver, and cash in lacks were handed over to Kailash Sharma, then
officiating Treasury Officer,
Amritsar.
Intriguingly, the SGPC, for all these 25 years, has not
categorically denied these facts. With elections round the corner,
this issue, which is very serious and sensitive, is again being made
a subject of political matter of political gimmicks from both the
sides. Claims and counter-claims are being made to mislead the
entire Sikh community and the world at large. Of late, SGPC
President Avtar Singh Makkar has demanded that Union defence
minister A.K. Antony should be expelled from the Parliament as he
allegedly hurt the sentiments of Sikh community as he has given
unaccountable statement claiming that the SGPC was returned all the
rare Sikh manuscripts and original religious books that were taken
away by the Indian Army during the operation Blue star in 1984.
While the real facts ought to be ascertained, one thing is
very clear that both the parties appear to be wrong. The SGPC is
partly wrong as it has already, officially acknowledged the receipt
of some of the items of the sacred library with a note that it has
no other claim, seemingly in connivance with the Government of
India.
More intriguing is the fact that some of the returned rare
items are missing from the sacred place, these missing rare
artefacts, including hand-written birs of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and
Hukam-namas.
In order to unearth the truth, Panthic organizations have
constituted a five-member fact Finding Committee comprising Kartar
Singh Gill, D S Gill, Gurtej Singh, Gurpreet Singh and Advocate Amar
Singh Chahal. The Committee shall complete its report within a
month. If need be, the Committee will initiate necessary legal
proceedings to achieve the end.
Among those who participated in the meet were Harpal Singh
Cheema, Principal Khushal Singh, Bhai Mandhir Singh, Puran Singh
Hundal and Surinder Singh Kisanpura.
The meeting was jointly convened by Shiromani Akali Dal
(Presidium), International Sikh Confederation and International
Human Rights Organisation (IHRO). Bhai Daljit chairman of presidium
of the SADA concluded the meet and announced the committee.
4
March 2009
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