Bhindranwale’s name, photo at Bluestar memorial kick up row

AMRITSAR: As the memorial to victims of the army's June 1984 Operation Bluestar in the Golden Temple complex opened on Saturday, militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale's name atop the entrance and a photograph inside found pride of place, despite commitments to the contrary by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Avtar Singh Makkar.

Leaders of Punjab’s ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the two had said the memorial would be only to “innocents” killed in

DESPITE COMMITMENTS, DEDICATION INSCRIBED FOR MILITANT PREACHER ABOVE ENTRANCE; SAD ALLY BJP DEMANDS REMOVAL, SGPC CHIEF CLAIMS HE DIDN’T KNOW

Bluestar and would not carry any names.

SAD’s ally BJP called for immediate removal of the references to Bhindranwale, a former head of ultra- religious group Damdami Taksal that built the memorial gurdwara. He was killed during Bluestar, which claimed around 400 lives in a bid to flush out militants demanding a separate Sikh nation Khalistan.

The inscription on the marblecovered structure was covered with flowers removed by Harnam Singh Dhumma, head of Damdami Taksal, at the function’s end. Translated from Punjabi, it says: ‘Gurdwara Yaadgaar Shaheedan, in memory of Damdami Taksal’s fourteenth chief Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale and all other martyrs of the sad event of June 1984.’

While CM Badal was absent despite being in town, Makkar — who had left the spot along with Akal Takht jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh just before the uncovering — claimed he was surprised and said he would take it up with the jathedar.

“Where is the reference to Bhindranwale?” the SGPC chief asked when some journalists informed him. He did notice the clock carrying Bhindranwale's picture inside, but issued no instructions to remove it.

Giani Gurbachan Singh was not available for comment, and Dhuma simply claimed he had got the memorial constructed as per directions given to him.