The Akal Takht and the SGPC today refrained from declaring Bhindranwale a martyr.

However, barring a traffic jam by the All-India Sikh Students Federation (Gill), ‘ghallughara divas’ (genocide day) passed off peacefully.

Earlier, Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar of Akal Takht, paid rich tributes to those killed during Operation Bluestar. During the official programme of Akal Takht there was no mention of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. However, Mr Manjit Singh Bhoma, president of the AISSF (Bhoma), along with his supporters raised slogans like “Amar Shaheed Bhindranwale zindabad” in front of Akal Takht. However, some Sikhs objected to raising of slogans in front of Akal Takht.

The SGPC granted permission to 15 radical Sikh organisations to hold ‘Antim Ardas’ after much reluctance. Dr Gurbachan Singh Bachan, SGPC secretary, was the first person to object to the ‘Antim Ardas’. However, when Mr Jaspal Singh Dhillon, Chairman of the Human Rights and Democracy Forum and member of the 15-member Shaheed Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale Memorial Committee, said that the committee had got permission from Jathedar Vedanti. Dr Bachan and Mr Dhillon went to the residence of the Jathedar of Akal Takht. Jathedar Vedanti categorically said every Sikh had the right to hold ‘Ardas’ in front of Akal Takht.

As a precautionary measure, the district administration deputed two Executive Magistrates, Mr Kirpal Singh (SDM, Baba Bakala) and Ms Gurpreet Kaur Sapra (SDM, Amritsar) and a large number of police personnel in mufti in and outside the gurdwara complex.

The official function of Akal Takht started with the speech of Giani Bhagwan Singh, Head Granthi, Akal Takht, who paid rich tributes to those killed during Operation Bluestar.

Later, Giani Kewal Singh, Jathedar, Damdama Sahib, performed the ‘Ardas’ in memory of the “martyrs” of Operation Bluestar.

Jathedar Vedanti in his three-page speech condemned Operation Bluestar and the attack on 43 gurdwaras and massacre of thousands of devotees. He also lamented successive governments for not condemning Operation Bluestar on the floor of Parliament. He also condemned the damage to Sikh Reference Library in the SGPC complex during the operation. He said Operation Bluestar would remain fresh in the memories of generations to come. He said a Sikh could forget anything but he could never forget an attack on his place of worship.

Jathedar Vedanti in his message said he had a lot many grudges against the “Sikh nation” too. “What lesson had the Sikhs learnt from Operation Bluestar?”, he asked.

Later, while addressing the press conference, many members of the 15-member committee said Jathedar Vedanti should either have the guts to declare Sant Bhindranwale a martyr or tender his resignation as Jathedar of Akal Takht. Gen (retd) Narinder Singh was the first person to seek the resignation of Jathedar Vedanti on this issue and the other members kept mum during the press conference.

However, after the press conference Mr Narain Singh, chief of the Akal Federation, Mr Kanwerpal Singh, spokesman of the Dal Khalsa, Mr Gurtej Singh, a former IAS officer, and Mr Surinder Singh dissociated themselves from the demand for the resignation of Jathedar Vedanti. They said they had achieved their goal of performing ‘Antim Ardas’ at Akal Takht with the cooperation of Jathedar Vedanti.

Interestingly, no senior leader of the ruling Akali Dal participated in ‘ghallughara divas’. However, Mr Jagdev Singh Talwandi, SGPC president, who was present at the official function of Akal Takht held in the morning, refused to comment on the directive of Akal Takht to form a committee to resolve the controversy over the death of Sant Bhindranwale. After repeated questions, Mr Talwandi said he had not received the directive of Jathedar Vedanti so far. He would make a decision after reading the contents of the letter. It was clear from the assertions of Mr Talwandi that the SGPC was not serious about the issue pertaining to the death of Sant Bhindranwale.

Meanwhile, the AISSF (Gill) organised a function near Gurdwara Shaheedan by blocking traffic for more than two hours. The leaders of the AISSF and the Sarb Hind Shiromani Akali Dal paid rich tributes to those killed during Operation Bluestar.

On the other hand, Damdami Taksal, which still claims that Sant Bhindranwale is alive, performed ‘Chardi Kala Ardas’ at Chowk Mehta.

The Akali Dal (Amritsar) did not participate in any function of ‘gallughara divas’. However, Mr Karnail Singh Panjoli, president of the SHSAD (Youth), participated in the function organised by radical Sikh organisations at Akal Takht.