Amritsar On Alert On 32nd Anniversary Of Operation Blue Star, Prayers Held

Amritsar: On Operation Blue Star’s 32nd year in observance, the holy city of Amritsar is offering its prayers at the Golden Temple. Pilgrims have gathered at the Akal Takht complex of the holy shrine to observe the occasion peacefully.

Operation Blue Star was a military operation that was employed in 1984 when the Indian Army had to be called at Amritsar’s Golden Temple to eradicate Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and his militants from the complex who had taken it as their headquarters in 1983. 

Following threats issued by Sikh extremist groups, Amritsar has been put on high alert to ensure minimum disturbances on this day. Paramilitary forces have been deployed to ensure the same.

The extremists had cautioned the Akal Takht chief to refrain himself from addressing the gathering at the Golden Temple. A radical organization known as Dal Khalsa had even called for a complete shutdown of the city.

However, Police Commissioner AS Chahal assured that complete law and order will be maintained; that no one will “force shopkeepers to shut down their shops and brandish swords” and “devotees coming to Golden Temple will not face any problem”.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was quoted telling media “The state government is keeping a strict vigil over the entire situation and every effort would be made to maintain law and order.”

Meanwhile, Makkar on Sunday reversed a decision by the SGPC chief secretary barring media from entering the Golden Temple complex and regretted such a notice was issued.

Badal also termed the ban on media coverage on June 6 inside Golden Temple Complex as “unfortunate”.

Several people, including security personnel, died during Operation Bluestar, when the Army had to be called in at Amritsar's Golden Temple complex in June 1984 to flush out armed militants.