Debate over, Bhindranwale is ‘martyr’

Nineteen years after Operation Bluestar, the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, put an end to the controversy over the fate...

Nineteen years after Operation Bluestar, the Akal Takht, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, put an end to the controversy over the fate of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale by declaring him a ‘martyr.’

Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Akal Takht jathedar, held an ardas today for the ‘‘martyrs’’ and announced that their families — these included those of Bhindranwale, Bhai Amrik Singh and Major General (retd) Shubeg Singh who fought the Army in June, 1984 — would be honoured at the Gurdwara Manji Saheb Diwan Hall.

Shromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee (SGPC) president, Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar, later presented siropas to Bhai Isher Singh, son of Bhindranwale, and Bhai Manjit Singh, brother of Bhai Amrik Singh, the then president of the All India Sikh Students Federation.

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Families of some 30 ‘‘martyrs’’ were honoured with siropas afterwards at Deewan Hall by Jathedar Vedanti.

In 1995, Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who was then SGPC president, had indirectly endorsed the death of Bhindranwale by honouring his family and those of Sukha and Jinda. Two years ago, 15 pro-Sikh organisations had formed an action committee and held ardas to declare Bhindranwale a ‘‘martyr.’’

Operation Bluestar eyewitnesses like Baba Budh Singh and SP Apar Singh Bajwa had maintained all these years that Bhindranwale was cremated before their very eyes on June 6, 1984. Vedanti today urged various federations and Akali factions to unite on a common platform for the cause of the Panth. It was for the first time that Sikh organisations, the SGPC and the Akal Takht publicly took the lead to end all speculation that Bhindranwale could still be alive. The myth, propagated by the Damdami Taksal all these years, had created confusion and kept the controversy alive.

Damdami Taksal leaders used to perform ardas at Mehta everyday, rather twice a day, for the long life of Bhindranwale who they claimed was still alive. Vedanti also assured radical Sikh organisations that their demand for a Bhindranwale memorial in the Parikrama would be thought over.