Bluestar memorial issue rocks Punjab Assembly

The issue of memorial to the victims of Operation Bluestar in the Golden Temple complex by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee on Thursday rocked the Punjab Assembly leading to the adjournment of the House for the day despite Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal allaying all apprehensions about the threat to peace in the state.

The issue was raised by Leader of the Opposition Sunil Jakhar who, after beating about the bush for about 20 minutes focused on the issue and referred to the raising of the memorial and honouring of the then chief minister Beant Singh’s assassin Balwant Singh Rajoana with the title of ‘Living Martyr’. He also wanted Badal to explain his interpretation of a martyr. He said what happened in 1984 was the most unfortunate in the history of Punjab but the memorial was a threat to peace and communal harmony. He charged the ruling Akali Dal with playing with fire. At the same time, he maintained Badal was the secular face of Punjab but now there was deficit of trust. He also wanted Akali Dal’s alliance partner Bharatiya Janata Party to explain its position.

Reading from a written statement, Badal said peace and communal harmony was not only the top priority but the most sacred mission for the SAD-BJP government.

“Peace and communal harmony in Punjab is a matter of sacred faith for me and I am committed to defend it with my life. Even if I have to shed the last drop of my blood for peace and communal harmony in the state, I will consider that a part of my religious duty and will be proud of that. This is my sacred commitment to the people of Punjab”, he said.

He clarified the memorial would only be a small gurudwara in the Golden Temple complex where Guru Granth Sahib would be installed. No photograph would be displayed there.

He described the Congress act as highly ill-advised and totally avoidable saying the party was trying to disturb the hard earned atmosphere of peace and communal harmony in the state which was extremely unfortunate, dangerous and deplorable.

The statement did not satisfy the Congress members who marched to the well of the House shouting slogans where they sat on a dharna. Speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal adjourned the House for one hour. The Congress reverted to the issue as the House re-assembled leading to its adjournment for the day.