Op Blue Star anniversary: Akal Takht Jathedar talks about churches, weapons training for youth

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The Jathedar of the Akal Takht also attacked former PM Jawahar Lal Nehru for allegedly making anti-Sikh policies during his speech on the anniversary, which was observed at Akal Takht Sahib amid the pro-Khalistan slogans.

Akal Takht chief priest Giani Harpreet Singh touched upon several controversial issues, including objecting to churches in Punjab’s villages, as he urged Sikh organisations to encourage the youth in the state to train in traditional martial art and modern arms in his speech to mark the 38th anniversary of Operation Blue Star Monday.

The Jathedar of the Akal Takht—the highest Sikh temporal seat—also attacked the country’s first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru for allegedly making anti-Sikh policies during his speech on the anniversary, which was observed at Akal Takht Sahib amid the pro-Khalistan slogans. He said, “It had started in 1947. Jawahar Lal Nehru had made a policy to oppress the Sikhs and it resulted in Operation Blue Star in 1984.

Taking about churches in the state’s villages, he said, “We have challenges ahead of us weakening us religiously. For this churches have come up into the villages of Punjab. Sikh preachers must come out of the AC rooms for the preaching of religion. It is time to go to villages.”“If we will be strong religiously, economically, and socially then no one can stop political weakness,” said the Jathedar.

He also talked about Punjab’s youth falling for drugs and the need to wean them away.

“We need to start Gatka (Sikh Marshal art) centres and modern shooting ranges. Some are giving weapon training secretly, but we will give this training openly. We need to get our youth out of drugs and give them arms training. We should make them educated so that they should be able to control the economies of different countries. Then no world power can stop our Raj,” said Jathedar.

He also asked Sikh bodies to come together. “The journey is difficult. When one person walks on the path then they have to face many problems. But when we come together by forgetting the difference then the journey becomes easy.”

The Akal Takht Jathedar also touched upon the concept of Badshahat or Raj (sovereignty) given by Sikh Gurus. “We repeat this concept in everyday prayer. We have to keep repeating it. A Sikh can never reject the concept of Raj. It is a separate thing that some like Simranjit Singh Mann demand openly and others like me subtly. If we want to make the Raj then we will have to become true Khalsa.”

Operation Blue Star was carried out by the Indian Army on June 6, 1984, to flush out militants from the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of Sikhism.