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Journalism of Courage
In a first, the SGPC installed portraits of Army war heroes, late Lt Gen Harbaksh Singh, Lt Gen Jagjit Singh Arora, and Marshal of Indian Air Force Arjan Singh, at the Central Sikh Museum in Golden Temple on Tuesday. Same museum also displays the picture of many Sikh militants, who fought against the Indian state and the Army, including that of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. It is for the first time that war heroes from Sikh community have found a place in the Central Sikh Museum. All three men played important roles in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan, which took place before the 1984 Operation Blue Star.
Interestingly, hours before the formal installation of these pictures the museum, another function was held at Akal Takht on Tuesday morning to remember Beant Singh and Satwant Singh, who assassinated former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi after Operation Blue Star. Relatives and sympathisers of both assassins were honoured by head Granthi of Golden Temple Giani Jagtar Singh, who was also present during function at Sikh Central Museum later in the day. SGPC had recently allowed Damdami Taksal to construct a gallery to install pictures of thoes Sikh militants and devotees in the premises of Golden Temple, who were killed in Operation Blue Star.
SGPC president Kirpal Singh Badungar remained present in a small function to install the pictures along with relatives of war heroes. Although it is the first time when Army found mention in the Central Sikh Museum, inside the Golden Temple premises there are several commemorative stones about soldiers who fought in 1965, 1971 India-Pakistan wars and 1999 Kargil war. Most of these have been installed by Sikh regiments of the Army, an old tradition that has continued after Operation Blue Star.
Badungar said, “Episode of 1984 cannot be compared with the wars of 1965 and 1971. Sikh Gurus were not in war with Mughal emperors from first day. Guru Hargobind Sahib and Guru Gobind Singh asked Sikhs to fight with Mughals after they started committing atrocities on public.”
He added, “Sikhs have always fought against the atrocities. Indian Army was in different role in 1965 and 1971 wars compared to the role played by it in 1984. All these Sikh officers, whose pictures have been installed, played key role in defeating Pakistan in these wars and proved that no one can stand before their Sikhi spirit to protect people.”
According to Badungar: “Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was responsible for 1984 Operation Blue Star. Sant Bhindranwale defended the shrine from the Indian Army as per Sikhi spirit. So, there is nothing wrong in putting portraits of both, Bhindranwale and Army officers in one museum…We are very late in installing pictures of these heroes and these should had come up much before.”
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