AMRITSAR, Punjab, India: May 25, Reuter: Sikh temple authorities rejected Indian government conditions on Wednesday for the return of the Golden Temple, their holiest shrine, until Sikh leaders are freed from jail.
The government demanded that the authorities undertake to prevent arms being smuggled into the temple which paramilitary police and commandos cleared of militants on May 18 after a bloody 10 days sieve.
Ujagar Singh Rangretta, acting President of the Sikh temples management committee, said he could give no such assurance unless jailed Sikh leaders were released.
The shrine in the northern state of Punjab has been controlled by the State Government since militants surrendered last week.
At least 33 people killed in the siege around the vast complex.
Rangretta called on the government to hand back control of the temple to the committee which manages the main Sikh Shrines in India.
“It is the responsibility of the government to stop the inflow of arms into the temple,” he told a press conference.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 3, 1988
