On the 40 year anniversary of Operation Blue Star, pro-Khalistan slogans and posters of Khalistani separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale were raised inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Meanwhile in Canada, the Sikhs for Justice, a US-based secessionist group has called for the shutdown of all Indian missions in Canada.
This development comes on June 6, which marks the 40 year anniversary of Operation Blue Star - an Indian military operation aimed to flush out Khalistani separatists from inside the Golden Temple. The key target for the Indian army Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed during the operation.
Pro-Khalistan Slogans Raised In Punjab
Inside the Golden Temple premises in Amritsar on Thursday, posters of separatist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and pro-Khalistan slogans were raised by members of the community. As per news agency ANI, Shiromani Akali Dal's Amritsar chief Simranjit Singh Mann also spotted among the people raising slogans and displaying posters of Bhindranwale.
As reported by PTI, the slogans were raised by activists of various outfits, including the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar). Former MP Dhian Singh Mand at the Akal Takht – the highest temporal seat of Sikhs and Simranjit Singh Mann, who recently lost from the Sangrur Lok Sabha seat, were also present.
The demonstration was led by Dal Khalsa. Dal Khalsa activists were seen carrying placards bearing portraits of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was killed in Canada on June 18, 2023.
SFJ Calls For 'Shut Down' Of Indian Missions In Canada
To mark the anniversary of Operation Blue Star, secessionist group Sikhs for Justice called for a lockdown of all Indian missions in Canada on June 6. The group, led by Khalistan separatist Gurpatwant Pannun called for a shut down of the Indian High Commission on Ottawa and the Indian Consulates in Vancouver and Toronto.
These protests were planned earlier this week and the call for them comes amid high tensions between India and Canada due to the Khalistan movement.
Indo-Canadian ties hit a snag after Canadian PM Justin Trudeau stated there were "credible allegations" to show that the Indian government was involved in the killing of separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Four Indians have been arrested and are on trial in Canada for their alleged involvement in Nijjar's killing.
What Was Operation Blue Star?
Operation Blue Star was carried out from June 1 to 10, 1984. During this, the Indian Army stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar to flush out militants led by Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a one-time leader of the Sikh seminary Damdami Taksal. Bhindranwale was also a key figure in the growing separatist Khalistan movement at the time.
While the operation was successful, it is scripted has one of the more controversial episodes in Indian history. The storming of the Golden Temple was seen as an attack on the Sikh faith by many people of the community.
As per the Indian army, the initially placed total casualties stood at 554 militants and civilians dead, 83 troops dead (4 officers, 79 soldiers) and 236 wounded among government forces. However, other reliable accounts of the operation have reported estimates as high as 5000 to 7000 dead.
In the aftermath of the operation, resentment among the grew and boiled over with the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Gandhi was shot dead on October 31, 1984 by her two Sikh bodyguards. Gandhi' assassination led to widespread communal violence across India where Sikhs were openly targeted and killed.
