CHANDIGARE, India: The security forces entered the Golden Temple Complex on June 4th, on the eve of the annual conference of dissident Akalis, Damdami Taksal and All India Sikh Student Federation in the memory of the Shahids of the Blue Star Operation. The forces entered after the killing of a S.G.P.C’s task-force-man by mobs. Damdami Taksal and A. S.S.F (Khalon group) stormed the Parkarma, Many task-force men were pushed out of the Parkarma, Damdami Taksal and A.S.S.F’s supporters armed with swords beat up the force-men resulting in the death of one of them. Mr. Avtar Singh in room No. 14 of the Parkarma, The supporters accompanied Mrs. Bimala Kaur Khalsa who was virtually moving around to ensure that there was no presence of police. The police entered the Complex soon after. Hearing that a few persons might have taken sanctuary inside the Temple till the police entered to round up few persons from there. The police has registered a case under section 302 and 307 against Mrs. Bimala Khalsa, Major Jagjit Singh and a dissident Akali, MLA, Mr. Talib ‘Singh Sandhu, Cases were registered for murder, attempted murder and rioting. Mr. P.C. Dogra, DIG Jullundur Range, said that ‘more than 250 persons were arrested including some women. The Deputy Commissioner, Mr. RameshInder Singh said that since rioting took place, S.P. has been requested to help and save innocent lives. Thereupon the police was sent inside the Temple, The security forces and the police withdrew from the Complex under two ultimatums. Earlier dissident Akali leaders joined hands with Damdami Taksal and A.I.S.S.F to pass the vote of no-confidence against the five Sikh head priests and the Akali Dal president, Mr. Sujit Singh Barnala. The congregation assembled at Manji Sahib Diwan Hall to observe the second anniversary of the Blue Star Operation and to ask Jathedar Akal Takht, Giani Kirpal Singh and his four colleagues to submit their resignations since they have betrayed the faith reposed in them by the Sikh Panth by stage managing recantation of Surjit Singh Barnala, Those at the Shahidi convention adopted a resolution to remove Surjit Singh Barnala from the and President ship and primary membership of the party. The resolution called for his social boycott and also of his power hungry supporters. Wherever they go masses should hold demonstrations against them, it added, through another significant resolution, the congregation endorsed the statement made by Damdami Taksal spokesman that Mr. Gurdarshan Singh Minochaal, a member of Panthic Committee, would be the acting Jathedar of Akal Takht since Bhai Gurdev Singh had been arrested in the police operation on April 13th. This announcement un-like the other resolutions was greeted with shouts of Bole-So-Nihal and show of hands.

The conference called for the reorganization of the Akali Dal. The congregation passed a resolution demanding the implementation of the Anandpur Sahib resolution. It said that nothing short of its acceptance would satisfy the Sikhs. There can be no compromises on this with Delhi Darbar. It called upon all the Sikhs all over the world to prepare themselves to, ensure its implementation, no number of Accords will solve the Pun jab problem, it added, From the tone of the “speeches delivered at the conference, it was apparent that the main target was Mr. Sujit Singh Barnala, his cabinet and Mr. Balwant Singh. Mr. Gurcharan Singh Tohra, in his hard hitting speech, said that for the direct attack on Golden Temple, either the Guru will pardon Mr. Sugit Singh or some Guru-ka-Lal will avenge the action of April 30th. The resolution also pointed out that when the sanctity of the Temple was violated and an act of sacrilege was ‘committed. This is for the first time that Golden Temple had been attacked by non-other than a Sikh ‘who claims to represent the Sikh Government, Both the Federation and the Taksal expressed their hope that the dissident Akalis would not betray the faith of the sangat which has assembled here to pay homage to the martyrs who laid down their lives for the 1982 morcha. One of the main objectives of this conference was to evict the police and the security forces from the Temple Complex. It was 1 long wait for the dissidents by their supporters here. Word had gone around that because of the obstructions put up by the police and the paramilitary forces no vehicle was being allowed to enter into the city. The first to arrive ‘were Gurcharan Singh Tohra, around 1:30 p.m. Talking to newsmen, he said that obstacles put up by the Barnala government werea shame, We finally made it, though with reduced strength after seven hours, Often we had to take rural roads. Those who reached the Complex included: Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhjinder Singh, Captain Amarinder Singh, Sucha ‘Singh Chottepur, Prem Singh LyalIpuri, Sant Ajit Singh, Surjan Singh ‘Thakedar and Shivinder Singh Bahia and hundreds of their supporters. Mr. Parkash Singh Badal told the newsmen that in his Tong political life, this was the first time that he witnessed such harassment and humiliation at the hands of so called Akali Government; starting from Mukatsar where he said Para-military forces had blocked way to the town and road to the Amritsar. It was a closed section all the way. According to some particular observers the joint meeting of Akalis and the freedom fighters felt at Amritsar assumes great significance not only because the proceedings were conducted in ‘an atmosphere free from tension but the occasion signaled bringing Of the freedom fighters into the political stream for the first time. ‘Akali Dal workers and the break way dissidents were lathi-charged at Doraha, Sithind and Tarn Taran when they blocked the traffic at these various places in protest against the refusal of the police to allow them to proceed to Amritsar to participate in the dissident’s conference. The workers had come from various districts in trucks to the bus stop at Sirhind, Canal Bridge at Tarn Tarran and near Doraha. A strong police barricades had been put up to prevent the workers of the break-away group from going to Amritsar.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 30, 1986