CHANDIGARH: India: Bhai Jasbir Singh Rode, the sacked Akal Takht Chief entered the Golden Temple on Tuesday along with 101 other marchers on the completion of his march to liberate the Temple from the government control. The government, however, had withdrawn all the forces from the Temple Complex some days earlier and handed over the control to the S.G.P.C. an elected body that manages the Sikh historical Gurdwaras.

The marchers, led by former Head Priest Jasbir Singh Rode, announced they would organize a Sikh convention next month to discuss what they described as the crisis facing their community.

Meanwhile, a Senior Punjab Police Officer on Monday asked for a transfer in protest over what he said was interference in the fight against separatists.

Inspector General Chaman Lal went on leave hours after he was ordered not to interfere when Sikh priests known to links with the militants have marched into their faith’s holiest shrine, the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The Temple has been under the control of police and troops since “operation black thunder” in May this year when the army cleared militants who had taken refuge there.

About 30 people were killed during the attack and during the 10 day siege which preceded it. More than 150 separatist’s surrendered.

Lal told reporters in Amritsar, “J feel sad and disgusted at what has happened. The situation has been handled wrongly and Mr. Rode’s entry into the temple has nullified the gains of Operation Black Thunder.”

Punjab Governor Siddharta Shankar Ray was also indignant over Rode’s march and said he would not allow the convention to take place in the Golden Temple.

He said he would not allow the shrine to be turned into a place of “fear, murder, extortion and rape.”

Lal said: “I feel his entry is a clear cut threat to peace because not only would it be difficult to dislodge him from outside but also because the fact remains that his: followers are people with militant ideology.”

He said he was ordered not to stop Rode by Punjab Police Chief K PS. Gill.

“I have no respect for my superiors because they cannot take a decision on their own even when they know what they are doing ts incorrect,” The Times of India Newspaper quoted Lal as saying.

Government officials announced on Tuesday Gandhi would again visit Punjab, India’s richest Agricultural State, on Thursday to inspect damage caused by recent floods.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 14, 1988