Kar Sewa construction of a memorial for the “sacrifice” of several Sikhs those killed during the Indian Army’s Operation Bluestar- an army action to flush out militants from the complex in 1984, commenced on Sunday at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.
This construction work by Sikh clergy had approved by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee’s executive body, would eulogize Militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, his associates and several Sikh separatist leaders who were killed in the operation.
It has been said that the memorial is being built near the historic building of Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs. This may be covered the place where the body of head of Damdami Taksal, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale had discovered after the Army action.
Bhindranwale and other militants killed during Operation Bluestar in 1984 had declared as “martyrs” of the Sikh religion by the SGPC a religious body that managing a large number the Sikh shrines in the work for constructing the memorial to Harnam Singh Dhuma, chief of Dam-Dami Taksal, a radical Sikh outfit.
Along with Akal Takht Jathedar Gurbachan Singh, SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar, and various Sikh political outfits, Bhindranwale’s son Ishwar Singh was also present.
Being overwhelmed with participate in the kar sewa, Ishwar Singh said that the government agencies, however, kept a distance from the function and officially did not support or oppose the move.
For a long past decade, Sikh community had been demanding a memorial for those killed in the operation that is finally fulfilled.
The portions of buildings which suffered damage and a “bir” of Guru Granth Sahib with a bullet mark would also be showcased, Harnam Singh Khalsa, the chief of Damdami Taksal, adding, “The structure wouldn’t disrupt the ambiance of the Golden Temple.”
However, all the items damaged in the operation including bullet-ridden gold sheets and the holy-scripture-Guru Granth Sahib would conserve and display.
