Amid opposition, controversial Blue Star memorial opens to public

[ThunderousDominator 278]

imagine if sikhs interfered in hindu matters as much as they did in ours

[GPS 1,327]

http://punjabnewsline.com/news/Without-resolving-it_-Bhindranwale-memorial-controversy-set-at-rest.html

Without resolving it, Bhindranwale memorial controversy set at rest

Thursday, May, 16 2013 - 17:23

By Jagtar Singh-
CHANDIGARH: Even without resolving it, the Sikh clergy has for the time being set at rest the controversy on naming the Operation Bluestar memorial in the Golden Temple complex after Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale.As the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had come under pressure on the naming of the memorial by Taksal Chief Harnam Singh Dhumma after his predecessor, the matter was referred to Akal Takht chief Giani Gurbachan Singh.

The objections had been raised by the Shiromani Akali Dal and its alliance partner the Bharatiya Janata Party. It may be mentioned that at the time decision was taken to raise this memorial, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had given an assurance in the Assembly to mollify its alliance partner that it would not be named after any individual.

The perceptions of the two parties on this issue are diametrically opposite. For the BJP, Sant Bhindranwale was the fountain head of the militancy that rocked Punjab for more than a decade and took the life of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and chief minister Beant Singh.However, it was Badal who, in his statement issued immediately after Operation Bluestar, had accorded the status of martyr on all those who had been killed by the army in the Golden Temple complex.

Again, it was Akali Dal which had resolved to raise this memorial at its meeting in October, 1984.At the time the Kar Sewa was handed over to the Damdami Taksal, the SGPC executive committee decided to name it after Sant Bhindranwale. In this contest, Taksal has done no wrong in implementing the resolution of the SGPC. The Dal Khalsa in its memorandum submitted to Akal Takht before the start of the meeting had only referred to these details.

Even two of the high priests including Giani Balwant Singh Nandgarh and Giani Mal Singh see no wrong in naming the memorial after Sant Bhindranwale.The high priests have silenced the BJP and the Congress by asking the political parties to refrain to commenting on this issue. This has in a way come as a big relief to Badal. The clergy would now consult all the Sikh organisations before taking any final decision. The sentiments of the majority of Sikh organisations on this issue are too well known.

Moreover, Sant Bhindranwale was accorded the status of martyr by Akal Takht and his photograph has been put up by the SGPC in the Sikh museum in the Golden Temple complex. The naming of the memorial after his as such was just a formality. As the process lingers on, it might cease to be an issue.

[singh135 241]

why is this still an issue, any sikh knows the memorial is very bland as it is and over the next few years needs to be made more graphic with photographs and turn into a historic museum to the event. let whoever wants to interfere come with the entire indian army, they will be reminded of what happened at bluestar first hand by singhs

[dashmesh1984 102]

this is sad. How do you expect to get khalistan if we cant even open a memorial for june 1984.... so pathetic

[Avtar95 15]

this is sad. How do you expect to get khalistan if we cant even open a memorial for june 1984.... so pathetic

we don't expect khalistan we attain khalistan

vjkk vjkf

[lsingh 748]

the names of all those who died in Bluestar should be put up in memorial. Names ages where they were from so that they can be remembered for all time.

[daturbanata 0]

[dashmesh1984 102]

we don't expect khalistan we attain khalistan

vjkk vjkf

good luck with it maybe in 200-300 years.

[Jonny101 4,374]

good luck with it maybe in 200-300 years.

WOW! you know the future?

[jatwal 16]

3-25 years top for it

[Sikhistan 252]

BJP defies the order of Sri Akal Takht Sahib:

BJP state president Kamal Sharma today said before taking any further step, the party would provide ample time to its coalition partner the SAD to get all objects glorifying militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from the Operation Bluestar memorial.

Sharma said following objections raised by the BJP, the SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) had got some of the objects removed but a few inscriptions continued to be there on marble slabs. He said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had set up a committee for the purpose, “but a few radicals were trying to create hurdles”.

“A handful of radicals are trying to keep alive their provocative agenda, which had reversed Punjab’s growth during the dark days of terrorism. Radicals are detrimental to the interests of not only Punjab but the entire country. Our state has already paid a heavy price for the decade-long violence,” he said.

Sharma claimed a phase of development had been launched in Punjab by the coalition government and the last assembly elections were fought on that (development) agenda itself. On the “differences” between the coalition partners, he said district-level coordination committees of both the parties would meet in case there were any such issues.

“The SAD is a trusted ally of the BJP and both the parties will unitedly contest the next Lok Sabha elections,” he said.