Seeking damages, Sikh body preserves ‘scars’ of Op Bluestar

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 10

To keep a ‘live evidence’ of the Operation Bluestar, as many as 147 bullet marks on the façade and sidewalls of the historic Teja Singh Samundri Hall at the Golden Temple complex have been preserved by the SGPC.

Besides, a decrepit ‘Darshani Deodi’ (entrance of the sanctum sanctorum), leading to Atta Mandi near the Akal Takht, has also been kept ‘as it is’ since then. These spots will work in support of the compensation petition filed by the SGPC in the Delhi High Court.

SGPC chief secretary Dr Roop Singh said the 147 bullet marks had been encircled with “steel frames” to make these prominent and marked with numbers. He said the dilapidated ‘Darshani Deodi’ was also shown to President Ram Nath Kovind during his recent visit here.

“We have with us photographs and the proof of original damage done to the building and the bullet marks have been captured on camera. The exercise was done to have these as live evidence to substantiate our claims,” he said.

Holding the Central government liable for the damage to the shrine, the SGPC has demanded Rs 1,000 crore as damages from the Delhi High Court. The court fee of Rs 10 crore was deposited in June 2013 and the case hearing is still under way.

Headed by Baba Kashmir Singh Bhuriwale, the ‘kar sewa’ to refurbish the historic building was started on July 2 last year. “During the Operation Bluestar, the upper part of the building was gutted. We had kept this building untouched for the past 33 years. With the passage of time, the condition of the building started deteriorating. The SGPC’s executive body had decided to renovate it last year, but with a caution that the bullet marks on it are preserved,” said Dr Roop Singh.

Built in 1937, Teja Singh Samundri Hall was dedicated to one of the founder members of the SGPC, Teja Singh Samundri. It houses the SGPC headquarters.

‘Live evidence’ 

147  bullet marks have been encircled with ‘steel frames’ to make these prominent and marked with numbers.

• A decrepit Darshani Deodi (entrance of the sanctum sanctorum), leading to Atta Mandi near the Akal Takht, has been kept ‘as it is’ since then.
• These spots will work in support of the compensation petition filed by the SGPC in the Delhi High Court.