NEW DELHI, India—On June 6, a Shiromani Akali Dal’s delegation headed by its president Sukhbir Badal submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking return back of rare manuscripts and documents looted by the Indian army from the Sikh Reference Library during Operation Bluestar. The delegation also demanded restoration of service benefits for those Sikh Dharmi Faujis who had quit the army in protest of the armed invasion into Sri Harmandir Sahib.
“We on behalf of the Sikh community are at pains to state that even after a long gap of 35 years justice has not been done with the community. But now when the NDA government has come to power for the second consecutive time, we are hopeful that some of the most important issues concerning with the tragic and unfortunate attack on our holy shrine would get solved at the earliest,” reads the memorandum.
“The Sikh community is eagerly waiting for the precious treasure which the attacking army seized and taken away during the attack. It includes important Holy Scriptures, artifacts, thousands of historical books and collections of the Sikh Reference Library and relics belonging to Sri Guru Sahib and other Sikh personalities. All these should be located and returned to community with due honor,” the memorandum further reads.
The delegation also asked Union Home Minister to give permission for taking out a religious procession to Gurdwara Sri Janam Asthan Nankana Sahib on the eve of the 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
DSGMC president Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Parliamentarian Balwinder Singh Bhoondarh and Ex-parliamentarian Prem Singh Chandumajra were also present on this occasion.
