Author Hardeep Singh

AMRITSAR Every Sikh should observe the Martyrdom Week from June 1 to June 6 on the occasion of 40th annual commemoration of the June 1984 Ghallughara (holocaust) following the direction of Sri Akal Takht Sahib and to protest against not punishing the perpetrators of the Sikh genocide by the State, the Sikh men should wear black turbans and the Sikh women should take black dupattas.

Expressing these words, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami said in June 1984, the marks of the military attack on Sachkhand Sri Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple), Sri Akal Takht Sahib and about 37 more Gurdwaras by the then Congress Government of India, can never be erased from the Sikh psyche and every year the Sikh community remembers the June 1984 military attack as third Ghallughara.

He said the then Congress government attacked the holy Sikh shrines and martyred thousands of devotees who had gathered on the martyrdom of Sri Guru Arjan Dev, by launching brutal attacks with tanks, guns and bullets. The suffering of this cruel action of killing humanity by the government will always rise from the Sikh minds.

The SGPC President said the abuse of government machinery by the then Congress government in this oppression against the Sikhs is a black mark on democracy and the Constitution of India. He said the government should have apologized for this heinous act, but the story of injustice with the Sikhs is continuing. Even today, justice is not being done in the cases of Sikh prisoners. Even after serving more than three decades of punishment, Sikhs are not being released, which is a great injustice to the Sikh community and a serious violation of human rights.

Dhami appealed to all the Gurdwara Management Committees and the Sikh community to observe the 40th anniversary of the third Ghallughara in accordance with the community’s spirit as per the order of the five Sikh leaders from Sri Akal Takht Sahib. He said that as per the orders of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the entire Sikh community should become part of the Martyrdom Week by remembering the government atrocities. 

He said national protest should be expressed by wearing black turbans and taking black dupattas from June 4 to June 6. The SGPC President said on the occasion of this 40th annual commemoration of third Ghallughara, along with the martyrdom ceremony at Sri Akal Takht Sahib, ceremonies will also be held in Gurdwaras managed by SGPC and these atrocities on the community will be remembered.