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A Resolution on the 25th Anniversary of Operation Bluestar
We, members of the General House of the Institute of Sikh Studies, International Sikh Confederation, and Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Chandigarh, express our sorrow and sad remembrance of the 25th Anniversary of Operation Bluestar campaign of Indian Army in attack against our Holiest shrines, Darbar Sahib and Sri Akal Takht, Amritsar, and our own citizens and the Operation Wood Rose at thirty nine other gurdwaras of Punjab.
We remember with distress the extensive damage caused to the holy precincts of the Darbar Sahib and the bullet marks which belie the Army claim that no firing was directed towards the holiest shrine of the Sikhs and the brutal attack on Sri Akal Takht built brick by brick by our Sixth Nanak, Guru Hargobind ji along with the Rev. Baba Budha ji and Bhai Sahib Gurdas I, and which was vested with a special status as the highest spiritual and temporal authority. It had to be rebuilt after the brutal siege of the mighty Indian Army, who carried away precious artifacts and rare original documents including sacred hand-written rare Birs, ostensibly to save them from destruction. We urgently demand restoration of the items still missing from the library. However, the fact that all these precious artifacts and rare documents have still not been returned to SGPC even after 25 years exposes the intentions of the Central Government. Some of these sacred documents are rumored to have been destroyed by the Government as so-called seditious items. In case it is true, it is indeed a blot on the secular credentials of our country and the Government. We urgently demand an authentic explanation regarding the missing items and immediate return to the SGPC of all those items in possession of any department of the Indian Government.
We remember with deep anguish the massacre of innocent pilgrims assembled from far and near to observe the anniversary of the martyrdom of Sri Guru Arjun Dev ji to pay homage for the supreme sacrifice which he made to demonstrate fearlessness in defence of the righteous path and upright action to the people in general and the Sikhs in particular.
Our hearts go out to men, women and children who were caught in the melee and met with violent end on this day while paying homage to Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji and the martyrs of our glorious past.
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