Amritsar, June 7: Perturbed over another clash at the Golden Temple Complex on the Operation Bluestar anniversary, Sikh intellectuals say this disturbing trend reflects the community in poor light.
They believe there is an urgent need to rid gurdwaras of politics while those associated with the SGPC are seeking a thorough probe into the incident to expose the “forces” behind it.
Talking to The Tribune, former National Commission for Minorities chairman Tarlochan Singh termed it a consequence of leadership failure.
“The post of Jathedar has been reduced to a mere decorative one as they neither have the authority nor any following.” He also raised a question mark over organising such events at the Golden Temple complex.
“These are purely religious places for solace of mind and they should remain so. The holy shrine should not be turned into a political battleground. We should keep it free from politics,” he said.
According to him, incidents like yesterday’s violent clash are damaging Sikh tenets and faith. He also wondered what people gain by brandishing swords at the Golden Temple complex.
He said the religious places should not politicised and the jathedars should find a permanent solution to it.
Noted Sikh scholar Ashok Singh Bagrian also felt that the first thing that needs to be done today is to divest gurdwaras of politics.
“This (yesterday’s clash) is the result of politics dominating the gurdwaras. People must understand that a gurdwara is not a place to fight. The community as a whole should raise the voice on this issue. It is never too late.” He also wondered why political leaders were totally silent on the issue.
SGPC member Bibi Kiranjot Kaur felt that the community has suffered a lot after Operation Bluestar but there has been no sense of closure at all. She said today’s youth are directionless as there is no Sikh leader (non-political) who can channelise their energy in a positive manner and guide them.
She said the sort of hooliganism which was resorted to by Sikh youths in yesterday’s clash was damaging to the community.
She said it needs to be investigated that while nothing happened in the first 30 years, why such clashes have been taking place on the anniversary over the past couple of years.
“Who is sending these youths — many of whom are clean-shaved? Why are they creating fear among devotees by brandishing swords? All this needs to be thoroughly probed,” she said.
Former Guru Nanak Dev University VC SP Singh said it reflects an undercurrent of some sort of resentment with the Panthic policy of those at the helm of affairs. He said this undercurrent needs to be checked as it is not a healthy sign. “If ignored, the resentment will only increase, which will lead to an alarming situation,” he added.
Former SGPC secretary Kulwant Singh justified the action taken by the SGPC task force against the Sikh youth. “While the SGPC task force’s action was flayed last year, it was not the case this time,” he added.
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Related Article:
Clash at Golden Temple after peaceful Bluestar anniversary
Perneet Singh/PK Jaiswar | Tribune News Service
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/community/clash-at-golden-temple-after-peaceful-bluestar-anniversary/90558.html
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| Sikh youth with swords at the Golden Temple. Photo: Vishal Kumar |
Amritsar, June 6: Panic gripped devotees at the Golden Temple complex following a clash between the SGPC task force and Sikh youths that left five persons injured. The violence erupted hours after the event to mark the Operation Bluestar anniversary passed off peacefully. It is the second successive year that the Golden Temple complex witnessed violence on the Operation Bluestar anniversary.
Some youths were seen moving around in the 'parikarma', brandishing 'kirpans', causing fear among the devotees. Sources said the SGPC task force pleaded with them to leave. However, they entered into an argument that finally led to a tiff between the two sides in the afternoon.
The task force, which outnumbered the youths, handed them to the police. The free-for-all saw the devotees running for cover, many of whom hid in rooms adjacent to the 'parikarma'.
The youths handed over to the police were not associated with any particular outfit, sources said.
The task force also seized mobile phones of the devotees who were shooting videos or clicking photographs of the clash. They took out the memory cards from their mobiles and deleted the visuals. The task force also “detained” a couple of lensmen while they were clicking pictures at the clash site. They were let off after some time.
In the morning, the ‘bhog’ ceremony of the Akhand Path, organised to mark the Operation Bluestar anniversary, passed off peacefully, much to the relief of Punjab Police and the SGPC. But there was intense sloganeering in support of Khalistan by the participants in the event.
A group of Sikh youths tried to enter the Akal Takht but was stopped by the SGPC task force and the policemen in plain clothes.
Addressing the gathering, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh said the wounds of the Sikh community were still fresh even after 31 years of the Army operation.
He asked the community to make joint efforts for the release of Sikh detainees, besides curbing evils like drug addiction, apostasy, and female foeticide. Tight security arrangements were in place for the ceremony.
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Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police Parampal Singh said they’ve taken these youths into their custody. He said further action would be initiated after they receive a written complaint from the SGPC.
He said they’ve rounded up 40 to 45 youths, including some Shiv Sena activists, during the day.
The DCP said they are taking preventive action against 35 persons, including the 22 persons arrested for the clash.
Reacting to the clash, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar said some mischievous elements try to torpedo the event every year by resorting to hooliganism which is sad. "It has hurt the sentiments of scores of Sikh pilgrims visiting the shrine and it is intolerable."
SGPC additional secretary DS Bedi said, “It is an unfortunate incident. We were trying to avert any such instance since the morning. The Akal Takht had even issued an appeal to observe the event in a solemn manner.
“The morning event had passed off peacefully, but some mischievous elements resorted to sloganeering and hooliganism five hours after the event.” He said the clash has brought shame to the community, besides spreading fear among the devotees.
He pointed that there were some non-‘keshdharis’ among the youth who clashed with the task force. He demanded that the government should investigate as to who these youth were and who was behind them.