Mixed reaction to AAP govt’s decision on holy city status to Galliara

The AAP government's move to grant holy status to the Galliara, established around the Golden Temple following military operations to flush out holed up terrorists, evoked a mixed reaction from the people. The demand for giving the entire walled city the status of a holy city had been raised for long.

Notably, it was once a major demand of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), the apex body for Sikhs. Over four decades ago, the SGPC strongly sought the "holy city" status for Amritsar. At that time, the BJP had opposed it in 1981.

Interestingly, last year, a BJP leader, Jagmohan Singh Raju, a former IAS officer, demanded the holy city status for the walled city. Earlier, he had announced a hunger strike at the Golden Temple complex but later decided to recite from the Guru Granth Sahib after the SGPC informed him that hunger strikes do not align with Sikh traditions.

On the status to be extended to Galliara, he said: "It is a fraud played by them with the sentiments of the people. There are already no liquor or meat shops in the Galliara. I have been fighting for holy city status to Amritsar. My prayer before the High Court is also for the whole city and it issued a notice to the AAP government and the next hearing is on December 16."

Way back in 2020, the holy city tag was sought by then prominent personalities and social welfare societies. The Samaj Sudhar Punjab unit, Nihang Singh and Sabha societies had submitted a memorandum to then Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Harpreet Singh, urging the five high priests to recommend "holy city" status for Amritsar to the state and Central governments.

Led by former Akal Takht Jathedars, Giani Gurbachan Singh and late Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, they even took to streets, demanding the status of "holy city" for Amritsar. They also sought implementation of law and order in the city to maintain its spiritual environment.

Emphasis was laid on shifting non-vegetarian joints, liquor vends and tobacco-selling kiosks out of the walled city, as it defied the Sikh rehat maryada. They said poor sanitation, stray dog menace and the poor roaming around the streets left a negative impact on devotees, who come from all over the world to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple.

The residents of the area and those involved in the hospitality sector sought timely repair and swift lifting of garbage in the Galliara area around the Golden Temple that serves as green lungs for residents living inside the walled city.

A green garden presents a soothing sight for visitors coming from around the world and across the country before moving inside the holiest Sikh shrine. Similarly, it offers a whiff of fresh air to the residents coming out of narrow winding streets. The walled city is characterised by labyrinthine streets whose residents look forward to the Galliara for fresh air.

The government initiated the Galliara Project in 1988 on the pretext of beautification of the surroundings of the holy shrine. The bazaars, which had a great heritage value, were demolished to pave way for the Galliara Project. These historical bazaars included the famous Bazaar Maniaran (Jhutha Bazaar), Thara Sahib Bazaar, Pappranwala Bazaar, Kapda Bazaar (cloth market) adjoining Baba Atal, a portion of Atta Mandi, Mochi Bazaar, Kaulsar Bazaar, Kathianwala Bazaar and a major part of Mai Sewan Bazaar.

These markets with narrow streets used to be a centre of attraction for pilgrims visiting the city. The Galliara was, in fact, prepared from the security aspect following two military operations for flushing out armed terrorists from the Golden Temple complex.

Under the project, hundreds of shops and houses coming within a 30-metre radius of the Golden Temple were demolished, which uprooted thousands of people. The demolition work started on June 9, 1988, and was completed on November 13, 1988. As many as 859 families were uprooted while 500 houses and 1,150 shops were demolished during the acquisition process.