Pro-Khalistan slogans were today raised by Sikh hardliners in the premises of the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar on the 33rd anniversary of Operation Bluestar. A bandh was also observed in the holy city on the call given by radical Sikh outfit Dal Khalsa on the anniversary of the military operation that was carried out in 1984 to flush out heavily-armed terrorists holed up in the Golden Temple.


Policemen in civil clothes were deployed along with the SGPC's task force to thwart any attempt to disturb law and order. When the Akal Takht (the highest temporal seat for Sikhs) Jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh started his customary address, supporters of the SAD (A) led by Simranjit Singh Mann raised slogans of 'Khalistan Zindabad'.


Despite sloganeering, the Jathedar continued with his address to the Sikh community. Some Sikh hardliners even raised slogans against Gurbachan Singh.


The 'Sarbat Khalsa' appointed "parallel" Jathedar Dhian Singh Mand, in his address from the ground floor of the Akal Takht, accused former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of interfering in Sikh religious affairs including in the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.


Mann said SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar had assured them yesterday that the Jathedar would not be allowed to address the Sikh community from the platform of Akal Takht.