Bluestar gallery to have portraits of slain pilgrims too

AMRITSAR: Besides portraits of Sikh militants, those of pilgrims who were killed during the army’s Operation Bluestar, and other relics, will be exhibited in the Martyr’s Gallery being built in the basement of the memorial in Golden Temple’s complex in Amritsar.

The gallery, which has been in the news for plans to put up a portrait of militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, is being curated by Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal that he once headed. After permission from the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) that manages affair of Sikh shrines, the Taksal will begin work on July 6.

Sources in the seminary said its chief Harnam Singh Dhumma has also sought help of radical outfit Dal Khalsa, whose directory of militants published some years ago will form the basis of the list of portraits.

The directory contained description of 220 militants, including Bhindranwale, the then All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF) president Amrik Singh, and Maj Gen Shabeg Singh. While most were associated with Damdami Taksal, others were members of the AISSF, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, and Kar Sewa (Baba Shisha Singh). Dhumma said the Taksal will approach other sources too.

As far the common pilgrims killed during the operation, the Taksal may get a list from the SGPC. This list clubs names of those killed, arrested or injured, so it will have to be verified as to who died, said sources.

Apart from the portraits, the gallery will also have bulletpierced clothes and other reminders of the army operation. There are also plans to screen the history of the episode in English, Punjabi and Hindi on a screen proposed to be installed there.

The proposal will be discussed by the Taksal on July 6 with SGPC authorities in the presence of experts being called especially. It will be followed by making of a final blueprint in three months.