On Thursday morning, pro-Khalistan slogans were raised at the Golden Temple while a programme was being held by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) on the 35th anniversary of the Operation Blue Star. Operation Blue Star was the code name for Indian military action carried out between 1 to 8 June 1984 to remove militant Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his followers from Harminder Sahib complex in Amritsar. It was launched by the then prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi.
There was an altercation between security personnel and several Sikh men were seen wearing the t-shirt of slain Sikh militants like that of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale while raising slogans.
In the video taken by Republic, several supporters of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were seen to have raised swords in his support. The protesters were demanding entry into the Akal Takht saying that had wanted to deliver a message for the Sikh community. Amidst the security arrangements in the city the radical Sikh outfit, Dal Khalsa, has called for a shut down in Amritsar to protest against army action in the Golden Temple.
The security was increased in the city of Amritsar in anticipation of similar incidents that have happened in the past on June 6th. Around 5,000 security personnel have been deployed in the city, including Rapid Action Force companies and several paramilitary forces. Flag marches are also being conducted in several areas and surveillance of vulnerable areas is being carried out through CCTV cameras. Policemen have been deployed at all entry and exit points of the city. A ban has also been enforced on carrying arms, including sharp-edged weapons, for the next five days.
#Punjab: Security heightened in Amritsar city on the anniversary of Operation Blue Star. pic.twitter.com/TcxrlkCdxl
— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2019
The SGPC has also deployed its task force within the Golden Temple to prevent any untoward incident. The task force also was checking the antecedents of devotees who have come to the Golden Temple for a night stay as part of its measures to keep a check on troublemakers.
In March this year, India had raised serious objections to Pakistan’s inclusion of Khalistanis in Kartarpur corridor committee. The government had objected to the inclusion of Gopal Singh Chawla and Bishen Singh in the committee, both are Khalistani extremists and Chawla is also known to be close with LeT chief Hafiz Saeed.
On March 9th 2019, some ISI backed Khalistanis attacked a number of British Indians who were standing outside the Indian High Commission in London. The men wearing Sikh turbans raised slogans ‘Naraa-e-Taqbeer’ and ‘Allah-u-Akbar.
In April, the Canada government has modified the 2018 Public Report on the Terrorist Threat to Canada and removed the mention of Sikh extremism from the report as a result of the lobbying efforts of several Sikh groups such as the Ontario Gurdwara Committee (OGC). Earlier this month, it was reported that these Sikh groups have also been mounting pressure to the Trudeau government to declare nationwide Sikh Genocide Remembrance Day for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
