SGPC chief Dhami meets Amit Shah; no talks on Rs 1000-cr suit over Op Blue Star

The Akal Takht will observe the 39th anniversary of Operation Blue Star on June 6.

In 1985, the SGPC filed a lawsuit against the Union government for having carried out Operation Blue Star a year before, for which 39th anniversary will be observed at Akal Takht on June 6.

This 38-year-old case, which started in the Amritsar Civil Court, is currently being heard in the Delhi High Court.

In 2013, the SGPC, after years of resistance, had deposited Rs 10 crore as court fee required for compensation claims, enabling the case to proceed.

On July 24, 2019, an order by Delhi High Court stated, “The personnel and office bearers of the SGPC and the ministers/ministries concerned are requested, in the light thereof, to advance the talks so that a settlement, if at all possible, can be reached before the next date of hearing.”

Following the order, letters were exchanged between the office of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and the SGPC, to schedule a meeting between both sides.

There were no hearings on the case between December 2019 and April 2022 owing to Covid. In the past year, four hearings have been held, without much progress having been made. The next hearing is scheduled for September 5.

“The matter of compensation was not discussed in a meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah,” SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami confirmed to The Indian Express on Staurday.

“The court had instructed both sides to sit together and come up with a solution. Initially, the meeting could not take place due to Covid-19. Some efforts were made for a meeting, but they did not materialize. The court has instructed both sides to hold the meeting at the next hearing. I am hopeful that a meeting on the issue takes place within the next six months,” he said.

A court order by Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw, issued on December 4, 2019, states, “The learned additional solicitor general Sanjay Jain states that considerable progress has been made in the settlement talks since August 30, 2019. The senior counsel for the plaintiff, though on inquiry, states that no settlement talks have taken place but joins in requesting an adjournment. The senior counsel for the plaintiff suggests that if the home minister meets the representatives of the plaintiff, the issue will be resolved immediately. The learned additional solicitor general states that he will convey the same to the home minister.”

“The home minister is requested to meet the representatives of the plaintiff at the earliest so that the matter can be settled if possible; otherwise, it will proceed on the merits,” reads the order, setting the next hearing for May 14, 2020.

Operation Blue Star was ordered by the then Congress government at the Centre led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The operation caused extensive damage to the buildings of Akal Takht, the Golden Temple, and the SGPC headquarters, and the psyche of the Sikh masses.

SGPC initially had refrained from repairing its headquarters for 32 years in order to preserve the evidence of the damage caused by Operation Blue Star for the compensation case pending in court.

The repairs to the SGPC headquarters were finally carried out in 2017, following the video recording of the bullet marks and other damage caused by the Army’s action.

The reconstruction of the Akal Takht building was undertaken by the Sikh community. However, the SGPC continues to blame the Union government for not returning all the books and records of the Sikh Reference Library, which was destroyed during Operation Blue Star. Additionally, gold and other articles stored in the main entrance to the Golden Temple, were also charred to dust after the fire from a tank cannon missed the Akal Takht building and hit the first floor of the entrance gate to the Golden Temple.

Saturday’s meeting

According to press release by the office of the Union home minister, “SGPC delegation gave a representation on various issues pertaining to functioning of gurdwaras and other SGPC matters, including inclusion of gurdwaras under the management of the SGPC board. The delegation felt that this will streamline the management of gurdwaras. The Union home minister assured the leaders of support and cooperation in these matters.”

Issuing a statement of its own on the meeting, the SGPC said, “Our delegation held discussion with Home Minister Amit Shah on many important issues related to the management of gurdwara sahibs. Home Minister gave assurance to solve the important issues raised by the SGPC.”