Following reports that media coverage had been barred from the premises of the Golden Temple on Monday, – the 32nd anniversary of Operation Blue Star – a top Sikh leader rubbished the claim. “..We have not issued any such notice [to ban the entry of the media]...I just request the press to not create any sort of unrest; the media is allowed to do its work,” said Avtar Singh Makkar, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
Reports surfaced on Saturday that the SGPC had banned media from the premises of the Golden Temple on the anniversary of Operation Blue Star on June 6. In addition to promising action against whoever had sought the media ban, the SGPC chief also called for peace on the day of “crucial significance”, warning against any sort of provocation, PTI reported.
SGPC member Harcharan Singh had written to Police Commissioner Amar Singh Chahal and District Public Relation Officer Sherjang Singh Hundal, seeking police help to keep the mediapersons away from the Golden Temple on the morning of the anniversary of Operation Blue Star, PTI reported. Singh claimed electronic media coverage may hurt the sentiments of Sikhs.
On June 6, 1984, more than 1,000 were killed during a raid on the Sikh’s holiest shrine to clamp down on extremist operations led by Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale.
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