In an effort to avert a showdown with the Sikh radicals on the June 6 anniversary of Operation Blue Star, the Sikh clergy on Wednesday decided to put off its decision on removing the name of slain leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from the recently constructed Blue Star memorial inside the Golden Temple complex.
Although the Sikh clergy had convened a meeting of the five head priests at the Akal Takht on Wednesday, no decision was taken since the participants felt that the matter needed to be debated further. “It is a very serious issue so we need more time to deliberate on the issue as we would seek more views from all Sikh circles, including Sikh scholars and organisations, before taking any decision on the matter. Now, we will take up the issue after June 6,” said Akal Takht Jathedar Gurbachan Singh.
“It is an internal matter of the Sikhs and no political leader or party should rake up this issue for their vested interests and refrain from misleading the people,” he added. In a related development, radial sikh organisation Dal Khalsa on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to the Akal Takht Jathedar, requesting him to bear in mind the collective will of the community and the historical traditions while convening the meeting for resolving the memorial row.
And the Khalsa’s Kanwar Pal Singh said that an appeal had been made to the Jathedar to issue a stern warning to outside forces, including the BJP, against interfering in the internal matters of the Sikh Panth.