Amid opposition, controversial Blue Star memorial opens to public

[JSinghnz]

PTI | Apr 27, 2013, 09.48 PM IST

AMRITSAR: Facing opposition from political parties, the controversial memorial built for those killed in Operation Blue Star of 1984 was thrown open to public on Saturday after religious functions organized by the SGPC.

Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal handed over keys of the memorial to SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar. Gyani Gurbachan Singh, Jathedar of highest Sikh temporal seat 'Akal Takht', was also present on the occasion.

The memorial has been built near the marbled periphery of the Golden Temple complex.

Operation Blue Star was launched in June 1984 to flush out hiding militants in the Golden Temple led by their leaderJarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was also killed in military operation.

Expressing satisfaction over the completion of "martyrs memorial" within 10 months, radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa thanked Damdami Taksal and SGPC for fulfilling the "long standing desire" of the Sikh Panth.

Both opposition Congress and BJP, which is part of the coalition rulingin Punjab, had opposed construction of the memorial.

While BJP had termed the move as "anti-national", Congress too had lodged its opposition, expressing apprehension that such a memorial inside the Golden Temple may again whip up passions and become cause of revival of terrorism in Punjab.

[JSinghnz]

'' ENTRANCE GATE OF SHAHEEDI YAADGAAR OF SHAHEEDS OF JUNE 1984''

Sikh Temples Worldwide

[lsingh]

Makkar up to tricks again.

Op Bluestar Memorial dedicated to community

Plaque mentions name of Bhindranwale, SGPC ‘unaware’ about it

Perneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 27

Almost 29 years after the Army operation and a string of controversies over the last one year, the Operation Bluestar Memorial was today dedicated to the Sikh community.

Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Khalsa handed over its keys to SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar at a ceremony here. The memorial has been named Gurdwara Shaheedi Yaadgaar and its plaque mentions that it has been built in the memory of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other “martyrs” of the Operation Bluestar in 1984.

Interestingly, the curtain from the plaque was removed after the ceremony got over. All five Takhts, the SGPC and various religious bodies felicitated Khalsa for performing the ‘kar sewa’ of the memorial. The Jathedars of all the five Takhts and the head granthi of the Golden Temple were also present.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said the memorial was a symbol of the Sikh community’s self-respect and would inspire the future generations to follow the Sikh tenets.

The name of the memorial has been inscribed atop its entrance while on the either sides of the stairs leading to it, the names of Bhindranwale, Amrik Singh, Shubegh Singh and Thahra Singh have been engraved. The memorial is a double-storey building. On the ground floor is the octagonal shaped memorial in the form of the gurdwara, the work on the basement is still on and, therefore, it is lying unused.

Makkar clarified the memorial will continue to exist in the form of a gurdwara and there was no plan to exhibit anything related to the 1984 Army operation on the Golden Temple.

On Bhindranwale’s name on the plaque, he said he was neither aware about it nor his advice was sought on the matter. He said he will discuss the issue with the Akal Takht Jathedar. It was decided earlier that the memorial would not be named after any particular person and instead it will be in the name of “all the martyrs”.

[Pappi9]

'' ENTRANCE GATE OF SHAHEEDI YAADGAAR OF SHAHEEDS OF JUNE 1984''

Sikh Temples Worldwide

WHAEGURU ... JI....

WHAT A DAY...........MARK THIS DAY.....

[Jonny101]

BOLAAAAY SOOOO NIHAAAAAL!!!!!!! SAT SRIIIIIIIII AKAAAAAAAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a great historical day for the entire Sikh nation.

[Pappi9]

BOLAAAAY SOOOO NIHAAAAAL!!!!!!! SAT SRIIIIIIIII AKAAAAAAAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a great historical day for the entire Sikh nation.

THIS nation is still sleeping .......( we can even make it out of this forum....nobody care even on sikh forum ...that santji name in over there)

[Pappi9]

video

[Jonny101]

THIS nation is still sleeping .......( we can even make it out of this forum....nobody care even on sikh forum ...that santji name in over there)

Well, it's the weekend. Let them sleep. But I will tell you who are not sleeping. Because of this memorial finally opening our enemies were probably having sleepless nights these past 2 days.

[genie]

Beautiful memorial nice to see it created already

[Jonny101]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bluestar-memorial-handed-to-Shiromani-Gurdwara-Parbandhak-Committee/articleshow/19761254.cms

looking at the comments by Hindus there one is surprised at the amount of hatred and ignorance many of them posses about the Sikhs. Whether they are congressis and BJP supporters, but one thing they all have in common is their mutual approval of operation bluestar(genocide) against the Sikhs. When the Muslims were ruling over India they began a reign of terror against the Hindus and Sikhs. Eventually when Paap was on the brink their rule began to end. After a thousand years of slavery Hindus have finally gotten their own Raaj, but they are now so drunk with power that they are also repeating the same mistake the Muslims did i.e. not ruling fairly. Attacking Darbar Sahib and killing Sikhs in huge numbers and thus showing their ungratefulness to the very people who fought for them at their time of need will only add to the Paap they are committing. When this paap is on the brink they will also lose their Raaj.