The 39th anniversary of Operation Blue Star was observed peacefully on Tuesday at the Golden Temple, the holiest Sikh shrine, in the northern Indian state of Punjab, a day known among Sikhs as "Ghallughara Divas".
In stark contrast with events of previous years, when radical Sikhs would brandish swords and raise pro-Khalistan (a sovereign state for Sikhs) slogans, there was no chaotic scene witnessed this time, said a devotee while returning from the gurdwara (shrine).
"Though slogans eulogizing Khalistan were raised by a few supporting radical Sikh outfits, there was no furious show of swords within precincts of the Golden Temple", he added.
Today, the Punjab police put up barricades everywhere to check for any notorious or suspicious elements and ensure peace.
Remembering Operation Blue Star
© Photo : Ravinder Singh Robin
Every year since 1984, Sikhs in Punjab observe 6 June as the "Ghallughara Divas" ("Holocaust Day"). On this day, prominent Sikh militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was killed in a building located inside the Golden Temple during an anti-terrorism security operation codenamed "Operation Bluestar".
Lasting from 1-10 June 1984, the operation aimed to oust Bhindranwale and his followers from the Golden Temple's buildings. But it also badly affected the shrine.
Talking to Sputnik, noted Sikh journalist Ravinder Singh Robin explained that the Sikh community observes Ghallughara Divas basically as a day of deep mourning.
"Thus, the Sikhs visit the Golden Temple in remembrance of people's killings and to reminisce how their holiest Sikh shrine also got disrespected in the middle of an official security operation".
Singh shared that on Tuesday, Gyani Harpreet Singh, the officiating Jathedar (the highest Sikh priest of the temporal seat Akal Takht), during his speech expressed a sense of "helplessness in getting justice from the current or previous governments about the 1984 genocide".
The Jathedar, however, called on Sikhs to not even expect justice from the government, saying they should rather become more united under the leadership of Akal Takht, Robin said, adding: "But no finer details were divulged about such an endeavor to unite all -- how and who will bring all Sikhs together to address various issues of Sikhs".
How Do Sikhs Remember Operation Blue Star?
Tens of thousands of Sikh devotees thronged the Sri Harmandar Sahib gurdwara on Tuesday to take part in the Ghallughara Divas.
A "Chabeel" (free distribution of sweetened water) was also organized on the occasion, similar to what was done in 1984 to mark revered Sikh Guru Arjan Dev's birthday.
The visit to the shrine was largely a gesture of expressing their old sense of resentment, which they did while paying obeisance at Sri Harmandar Sahib.
However, a few people carried posters featuring images of Bhindranwale (who was killed inside the Akal Takht (a separate building of the highest temporal seat inside the Golden Temple) to highlight what happened in 1984. Also, slogans demanding Khalistan were raised. But it lasted for merely 8-10 minutes of the three-hour-long Ghallughara event today, Robin narrated to Sputnik.
Remembering Operation Blue Star
© Photo : Ravinder Singh Robin
They believe the government of the day actually erred in undertaking a step that eventually also caused a gross disrespect of their most revered place, the Golden Temple.
Why Was the Operation Blue Star Launched?
By June 1984, a large number of people, including police, had been killed in Punjab during a two-decade-long militancy. Following this, the federal government ordered an army operation, which targeted the complex of the Golden Temple, and was named "Operation Blue Star".
According to the Indian government, the operation was necessitated in order to remove militant leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwala and his armed aides from the holy place of the Golden Temple.
As per a government's white paper, 493 common people and 83 army men were killed during the operation.