AMRITSAR: Work on the memorial to Operation Bluestar could start before what Sikhs call the “Genocide Day”, observed every year on June 6 to mark the Army operation at Golden Temple.
Sources said the five-member committee constituted by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee to prepare a draft proposal for the memorial is ready with its report, which would be submitted to the executive committee in its next meeting on May 2.
Rajinder Singh Mehta, a committee member, said the memorial would be constructed within the Golden Temple complex.
On June 8 last year, the SGPC had constituted the committee to draw up the draft proposal, which includes deciding on the venue for erecting the memorial and its design. The committee, under the presidentship of chief of Damdami Taksal Harnam Singh Khalsa, was supposed to table the report in two months.
However, irked over the committee’s delay in submitting the report, Sikh radical organizations, including Dal Khalsa, Shiromani Akali Dal (Panch Pardhani), Khalsa Action Committee and Panthic Sewa Lehar had constituted a shadow committee — Saka Darbar Sahib Memorial Committee – to prepare its own report on the memorial. Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwarpal Singh said, their report too was ready and they would submit it to SGPC before May
The SGPC is also contemplating display of rare and precious articles in specially constructed display windows in the parikarma of Golden Temple for devotees. At present, the Jalau (show of splendor) of these articles is arranged during Gurpurabs and on Diwali. The report on display of rare articles has been submitted to the executive committee for its approval.
