While Panjab & HP CMs Talk, Shah Brings up Bhindranwale

After attacks on Panjab’s tourists and pilgrims in Himachal Pradesh (HP) over Sikh flags and pictures of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale (1947–1984), followed by attacks on Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses in Panjab, HRTC has now curtailed buses on routes in Panjab. On 19 Mar, HP Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said his counterpart in Panjab, Bhagwant Singh Mann had assured him that strict action would be taken against those who attacked HRTC buses. Sukku said that Mann assured him discussions would be held at the Director General of Police level between the two states. Meanwhile, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD and the Damdami Taksal (Sikh seminary), have condemned the attacks on tourists. The Panjab unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party accused its HP counterpart of not understanding Sikh sentiments. On 21 Mar, Union Home minister Amit Shah brought up Bhindranwale in the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) while alluding to Amritpal Singh, the elected Member of Parliament from Khadoor Sahib. Shah said, ‘Some people tried to become Bhidranwale in Panjab...now that man is reciting Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh scripture) in an Assam jail.' This sounded like a taunt to those Sikhs who revere Bhindranwale as a martyr. Since the 1980s, subsequent govts. and most of Indian media continue to falsely flatten Bhindranwale as a separatist and an anti-national. Bhindranwale was a complex person and his politics were layered, but there is no evidence or record that Bhindranwale demanded Khalistan. Bhindranwale’s statements were, ‘If they give it (Khalistan) to us, we will not repeat the mistake of 1947,’ and ‘The day the Army steps into the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple), the foundation of Khalistan will be laid.’ The Indian Army launched Operation Blue Star in June 1984 by attacking the Darbar Sahib. Bhindranwale led the group of Sikh fighters who resisted the Army and died in the attack.