RSS affiliate seeks return of religious texts taken during Op Bluestar

NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, an affiliate of the RSS, has urged the Centre to intervene for return of historical and religious material taken by the Army from the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) complex during the 1984 Operation Bluestar to the Akal Takht.

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 10

The Rashtriya Sikh Sangat, an affiliate of the RSS, has urged the Centre to intervene for return of historical and religious material taken by the Army from the Golden Temple (Harmandir Sahib) complex during the 1984 Operation Bluestar to the Akal Takht.

The sangat also urged inclusion of Defence forces in the forthcoming yearlong celebration to commemorate the 350th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.

This was during a meeting of the sangat’s high-level delegation with Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. It was led by sangat’s general secretary (Organisation) Avinash Jaiswal.

Giving details of the meting today, sangat’s general secretary Dr Avtar Singh, who was part of the delegation, said Parrikar assured to intervene for the return of the religious material that are reportedly in Army’s possession.

“The material was taken by the Army as precautionary measure during the operation. Now that the dark period in Punjab was long over with the return of peace and tranquility, they should be returned to the Akal Takht and Harmandir Sahib,” the delegation urged the minister during the discussions.

Shastri said the delegation told Parrikar that the Sikh community wanted the material be adorned in the Harmandir Sahib complex.

“The community will be grateful if the pious work was accomplished through you,” the delegation told Parrikar.

There have been voices at periodic intervals from within the community for the return of the material on the issue. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also taken the matter with the Centre in the past.

Shastri said the material included belongings of Maharaja Ranjit Singh and religious literature.

Besides, making out a case for inclusion of defence forces with regard to celebrations of the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, the delegation said the icon demonstrated valour and military skill to shake the foundation of the Mughal empire that culminated in establishing of “Khalsa state” by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.