Chandigarh/ Amritsar: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee yesterday announced to set up Shaheed Gallery dedicated to the martyrs of Ghallughara 1984, who laid their lives defending the Darbar Sahib and Akal Takht Sahib during Indian Army attack in June 1984.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the executive committee of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee held on Thursday (June 16).
As per a written press release issued by the SGPC, the Gurdwara management body’s chief Prof Kirpal Singh Badungar said the Shaheed gallery would be set up in the basement of “Shaheedi Yaadgar” (Martyrs’ memorial) near Akal Takht.
Gurdwara Yaadgaar Shaheedan – the memorial for martyrs of Ghallughara June 1984
He said that photographs of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and other Sikh martyrs will be placed in the Shaheed Gallery. Prof. Badungar further said it was for Damdami Taksal (Mehta), which had approached SGPC with the proposal, to decide on the photos to be displayed in the gallery.
“A provision for the gallery was made during the construction of the memorial itself. As memorial issue snowballed into a controversy when memorial was inaugurated, it was decided to raise the demand for gallery at a subsequent stage,” said Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh.
“Dal Khalsa has handed over a directory containing photos and details of over 200 Sikhs who were martyred in the Ghallughara. SGPC is receptive to add more photos in the gallery if someone provides additional information subject to corroboration,” he added.