January 21, 2013 | By Sikh Siyasat Bureau
Panchkula (Haryana): As per reports the Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Sector 7 of Panchkula, Haryana has declined to entertain a request by the family of Indian Army’s former Lt. Gen. Ranjit Singh Dyal to hold a prayer service on his first death anniversary this month.
Ranjit Dayal, Indian Army officer who had reportedly participated in perpetuating attack on Sri Darbar Sahib and other Gurudwara Sahibs in June 1984.
The refusal was reportedly conveyed on December 30, 2012 to former army officer Dyal’s widow Barinder Kaur Dyal.
It is notable that R. S. Dyal was one of the commanding officers of Operation Blue Star, in which Indian army had attacked various Sikh Gurudwaras in June 1984 in Punjab and adjoining states.
As per an online news portal “Punjab News Line” (PNL)’s news report the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), which controls management of majority of historic Gudwaras in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, has reportedly backed the refusal of the Panchkula Gurdwara, saying it was the ‘right thing to do’.
“When the family approached the gurdwara for his prayer service, the management said that it could not give permission as there was objection from certain sections of the Sikh community over his role in Operation Bluestar. They said that he (Gen. Dyal) should have quit the army instead of leading the attack on the Golden Temple,” an unnamed family source was quotes to have said by PNL.
When Gen. Dyal, who had Z-plus category security, died in January last year, the family had organised his prayer service at the same gurdwara, the report adds.
“This time, the gurdwara management refused to hold the prayers for his first death anniversary, saying that some sections of the community had objected to it,” an unnamed family source is quoted to have said.
SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar reportedly said: “If the gurdwara management has taken this decision, they must have given a thought to it. The Golden Temple is the most sacred shrine of Sikhs. Dyal led the forces, saying that he was duty-bound. He should have realised that this was his religion’s most sacred place”.
“Usne prayer kya karani jisne guru (Guru Granth Sahib) ki chhati mein goli lagayi hui hai (Why should he (Dyal) have a prayer service when he has shot the guru in the chest). We have the Guru Granth Sahib with the bullet. He led the forces in doing that,” PNL has quoted Avtar Singh Makkar to have said, dismissing the plea of the family of Gen. Dyal.
It is notable that “Operation Blue Star” was code-name for Indian army’s attack on various Sikh Gurudwaras in Punjab and adjoining states, including Sri Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) of Amritsar. In this armed attack Indian army used tanks to destroy the historic building of Akal Takhat Sahib, the seat of Sikh sovereignty. As per credible sources and historic documents thousands of Sikhs were massacred in this army operation that was never reviewed by the army or the Government.
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Related Topics: Haryana, June 1984 attack on Sikhs, Operation Blue Star, Panchkula, Ranjit Dayal