03 Jun 2024 | 08:17 AM UTC
India: Sikh group calls for shutdown strike in Amritsar, Punjab State, June 6 to commemorate anniversary of Operation Bluestar
Sikh groups plan shutdown strike in Amritsar, Punjab, India, June 6. Tight security, transport disruptions likely.
The Sikh separatist organization Dal Khalsa has called for a shutdown strike in Amritsar, Punjab State, June 6 to commemorate the anniversary of Operation Bluestar, a controversial Indian army operation to expel Sikh militants from Amritsar's Golden Temple in 1984. Emergency and essential services are unlikely to be affected. Private entities, including shops, educational institutions, fuel stations, and transport services, usually close as a precaution or in solidarity with commemorative events. Activists will also likely attempt to gather at the Golden Temple. Additional unannounced gatherings are most probable at Sikh temples, parks, public squares, government buildings, and major intersections. Events could draw up to a few hundred attendees.
Authorities will likely increase police deployment leading up to and during the anniversary as a precaution; security will be particularly tight around the Golden Temple and other religious sites, government buildings, and crowded public places. Following a series of small explosions near the Golden Temple in May 2023, heightened vigilance, including personnel and vehicle checks and traffic restrictions, are likely to be implemented in the area. Localized transport disruptions are probable during large demonstrations, especially if participants block or march on roadways. Police may forcibly disperse disruptive gatherings, potentially prompting clashes, arson, and vandalism. Communal violence between Sikhs and other religious groups is possible. Officials may impose curbs on movement and telecommunications services if significant violence occurs.
Avoid all rallies due to possible clashes. If violence breaks out, leave the area immediately. Allow additional time to reach destinations near protest venues. Plan detours around all gatherings as a precaution. Confirm business appointments, transport reservations, and road status June 6 if operating in Amritsar. Heed all security and traffic advisories.
Operation Bluestar was a response to deteriorating law and order in Punjab, where separatist militancy had taken root. The controversial assault left more than 500 people dead, though unofficial estimates claim that the number of casualties was much higher. The assault - which involved the use of artillery and armored vehicles - and the perceived desecration of the Sikh's holiest shrine enraged Sikhs in India and abroad and significantly increased ethnoreligious tensions in the country. Sikh militants vowed retaliation, and two Sikh bodyguards assassinated Prime Minister Indira Gandhi October 31, 1984; subsequent riots in Delhi killed thousands of Sikh civilians. Although Sikh separatist violence declined considerably by the early 1990s, a small number of hardline Sikh groups continue to advocate the creation of an independent "Khalistan" homeland. Dal Khalsa organizes strikes and protests annually surrounding the anniversary of Operation Bluestar.
