PHAGWARA: On the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star, various religious and nationalist organizations across Punjab held memorial gatherings to pay homage to the civilians and security personnel who lost their lives during the violent insurgency era of the 1980s. Events organized by the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Suraksha Samiti and Shiv Sena Punjab reflected both a deep sense of remembrance and a renewed call for national unity and vigilance against extremist influences.
A tribute ceremony was held at Shri Hanumangarhi Temple, where members of the Hindu Suraksha Samiti gathered to honor the sacrifices of Indian soldiers and innocent civilians. Punjab state president of the committee, Deepak Bhardwaj, addressed the gathering and spoke emotionally about the bloodshed that marked 1984, when the Indian Army launched Operation Blue Star to flush out armed militants occupying the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He paid special tribute to General Arun Shridhar Vaidya, who played a pivotal role in the operation and later lost his life in a retaliatory assassination. Bhardwaj stated that both military personnel and innocent citizens sacrificed their lives to restore peace and integrity to the nation, and their valor must be remembered with respect and gratitude.
He also warned against the growing influence of separatist propaganda targeting Punjab’s youth, especially by foreign-based entities such as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, leader of the banned organization Sikhs for Justice. “Pannun will never return to India, and his objectives will never succeed, but our youth may destroy their own future by falling into his trap, ” Bhardwaj said. He appealed to young people to stay alert and not be misled by social media misinformation. He also urged both the Punjab and central governments to include the true history of Punjab’s dark days in school curricula to help future generations distinguish between historical fact and fabricated narratives.
The event witnessed participation from several key committee members including Punjab Vice President Sushil Tinka, State Secretary Manu Prabhakar, and local leaders such as Rakesh Kali, Pawan Baba, Rajat Bhardwaj, and Sandeep Kholu, who collectively emphasized the need to uphold Hindu-Sikh harmony and oppose every attempt to destabilize national unity.
Simultaneously, Shiv Sena Punjab marked June 6 as Shaurya Diwas, or Day of Valor, in remembrance of the courage shown by the Indian armed forces and police during Operation Blue Star. The party organized a parallel gathering where tributes were offered to the brave soldiers and innocent civilians who were victims of terrorism during Punjab’s darkest decade. Senior leaders Inderjit Karwal, Rajesh Palta, Ravi Dutt, and Vipin Sharma called upon the public to remember that terrorism knows no religion and should never be given communal justification or glorified under any banner. They criticized attempts to portray militants as heroes, warning that such narratives mislead the youth and dishonor the sacrifices of those who died defending the country.
The Shiv Sena leaders drew attention to recent terror-related incidents in the Kashmir valley, particularly the attack in Pahalgam, to highlight that the threat of terrorism remains present and real. They recalled how, during the insurgency in Punjab, buses were halted, passengers were pulled out and killed, and bombs shook marketplaces, leaving thousands of innocents dead. To prevent any recurrence, they advocated for a strict "bulldozer policy" targeting not only terrorists but also those showing public sympathy or support for them. They affirmed their party’s unwavering commitment to the nation and pledged to resist any efforts to sow division between Hindu and Sikh communities.
Additional tributes were paid during a separate gathering organized by Shiv Sena (Ubatha) at Shri Hanumangarhi Garrhi. Addressing this event, Punjab General Secretary Gurdeep Saini and senior vice president Rajinder Billa recalled the emotional and physical toll of the insurgency years on thousands of families. Saini made an earnest appeal to the youth, urging them to choose the path of patriotism, stay away from drugs and divisive ideologies, and become responsible citizens. “The pain of that period must not be forgotten, ” he said. “It must guide us toward peace, responsibility, and national service.”