New Delhi: Supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann faction) has raised slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The sloganeering came as party leader Simranjit Singh Mann visited the Sikh holy site to mark the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star on Thursday. Friday is also the death anniversary of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed during the military operation.
Jasbir Singh Rode, former Jathedar of Akal Takht, expressed his views on the anniversary, saying, “The government to this day doesn’t have the answer to why such a holy place of Sikhs was attacked. Sikhs were demanding their rights. They had not announced an attack against the Indian government. Then, without any notice or warning, we were attacked as enemy countries are attacked.”
#WATCH | Amritsar, Punjab: People raise slogans of ‘Khalistan zindabad’ as SAD (Mann faction) leader Simranjit Singh Mann reaches the Golden Temple on the 41st anniversary of Operation Blue Star and also the death anniversary of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, who was killed during… pic.twitter.com/f0kmGBa1le
— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2025
Slogans have always been raised here and across the world
He added, “People are celebrating today across the seven seas. People have come here from across the country to pay their respect to those who laid down their lives for the sake of our religion for us.”
Responding to the slogans of ‘Khalistan Zindabad’ raised at the Golden Temple and elsewhere, Jasbir Singh Rode said, “These slogans have always been raised here and across the world. There is nothing new in this.”
Operation Blue Star was launched to flush out militants from the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar. This resulted in loss of lives and damage to the sacred shrine.
