AMRITSAR – The Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) backed Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) are observing ‘martyrdom’ anniversary of Harjinder Singh Jinda and Sukhdev Singh Sukha, assassins of former Army chief Arun Shridhar Vaidya who was the architect of Operation Bluestar. Gen Vaidya was assassinated by the two on August 10, 1986. They were later captured, tried and sentenced to death. Their execution was carried out on October 9, 1992 in Pune jail.
The move has triggered a controversy at a time when the state’s political atmosphere is agitated due to the construction of Operation Bluestar memorial in the Golden Temple complex. Declaring the assassins as “martyrs” and observing their “martyrdom” has led to apprehensions among political circles that the move may revive terrorism in the state.
The SGPC on Tuesday had performed ‘bhog of Akhand Path’ (religious prayers) in memory of Jinda and Sukha at Gurdwara Jhandae Bungae and also bestowed ‘siropa’ (a religious robe) upon Bhupinder Singh and Surjit Kaur, brother and mother of Sukha and Jinda respectively.
Sikh’s supreme temporal seat Akal Takht’s former jathedar Giani Puran Singh had declared Jinda and Sukha as ‘national martyrs’ in 1999. The SGPC has also marked death anniversary of Jinda and Sukha along with the assassins of late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in its calendar.
Operation Bluestar conducted from 3rd to 6th June 1984 was ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to evacuate heavily-armed Khalistanis terrorists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
