The head granthi of the Golden Temple, Giani Jagtar Singh, today called upon various Sikh organisations "not to allow" the Congress to install a statue of former prime minister Indira Gandhi in Punjab.
He gave the call at a function in the Golden Temple complex to mark the death anniversary of Beant Singh, who shot dead Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.
Hesaid Beant Singh, along with Satwant Singh and Kehar Singh, "avenged" the Army action on the Golden Temple in June, 1984, code-named 'Operation Bluestar', by assassinating the then prime minister.
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The nephew of Satwant Singh was honoured with a 'siropa' (robe of honour) by Jagtar Singh at the function.
The 'siropa' on behalf of the family of Beant Singh was received by Dal Khalsa chief spokesman Kanwar Pal Singh as they could not attend the function.
Shiromani Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Kirpal Singh Badungar and Akal Takht Jathedar Gurbachan Singh, however, skipped the event.
Meanwhile, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed to the Akali rank and file to hold prayer meetstomorrowfor those killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
"The entire Sikh community is in a state of anguish and grief that the Congress leaders who indulged in these massacres are yet to be punished," he said in a statement.
In Ludhiana, former minister and senior Akali leader Hira Singh Gabaria said, "We will not allow (the Congress) to install the statue of Indira Gandhi at a public place anywhere in Punjab."
He said that Indira Gandhi's statue could not be allowed till the Congress publicly apologised for the killings of Sikhs in 1984.
The Congress today postponed the installation of Indira Gandhi's statue at the party's office at Ludhiana.
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