Clash at Golden Temple after peaceful Bluestar anniversary

Perneet Singh/PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

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. 

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.