Sikh Reference Library: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 11:46, 4 February 2022

Revision as of 23:04, 19 March 2022

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==Destruction==

According to the [[Indian Army]] white paper on [[Operation Blue Star]], the library was destroyed on the night of June 5, 1984 in the midst of a firefight.<ref name="ensaaf_twenty_2006">{{cite book|last1=Kaur|first1=Jaskaran|last2=Crossette|first2=Barbara|title=Twenty years of impunity: the November 1984 pogroms of Sikhs in India |page=16 |url=http://ensaaf-org.jklaw.net/publications/reports/20years/20years-2nd.pdf|edition=2nd|year=2006|publisher=Ensaaf|___location=Portland, OR|isbn=0-9787073-0-3}}</ref> However, according to [[V. M. Tarkunde]], the library was still intact on 6 June when the Army had gained control of the [[Harmandir Sahib|Golden Temple]], and was in fact burned down by the army at some point between 6 June and 14 June.<ref name="ensaaf_twenty_2006" /> Although the Indian Army has maintained that the library's contents were completely destroyed on 5 June, the SGPC has contradicted their version of events. By using witness accounts, the SGPC has alleged that material from the library was taken in [[gunny sack]]s on military truck to Amritsar's Youth Club, a temporary office of the CBI , and the empty library was burned by the army afterwards.<ref name="tribune_fire_2003" /> At that ___location, the CBI catalogued the materials until September 1984, when in light of a Sikh convention being held in the city, the library's contents were moved to an undisclosed ___location.

==Coverup==

In 2003, Ranjit Nanda, a former inspector for the Central Bureau of Investigation, (CBI) turned [[whistleblower]] and revealed he was part of a five -member team which scrutinized the documents at the CBI's makeshift office at Amritsar's Youth Club.<ref name="tribune_fire_2003" /> He revealed that officials from his department were "desperately looking for a purported letter written by [[Indira Gandhi]], the then Prime Minister, to [[Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale]]", and reported seeing letters from the other leaders addressed to Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale.<ref name="tribune_fire_2003" /> Manjit Calcutta, a former secretary of the SGPC, corroborated Nanda's version of events but further alleged that the army set the library "on fire in desperation when it failed to find the letter".<ref name="tribune_fire_2003" /> Nanda further confirmed the SGPC's version of events by describing how after inspecting each book and manuscript the CBI packed the documents into 165 numbered gunny sacks and bundled the material into waiting army vehicles because of a meeting of Sikh high priests taking place at the time.<ref name="tribune_fire_2003" /> He also showed a letter from his superiors commending his work "during examination of documents from SGPC ".<ref name="tribune_fire_2003" />

==Efforts to recover the material==

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On 25 March 2003, [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam]] made assurances that the books, documents, and manuscripts would be returned; however, he took no further action.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-03-25/chandigarh/27269547_1_sgpc-harbeant-singh-kirpal-singh-badungar|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104211005/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2003-03-25/chandigarh/27269547_1_sgpc-harbeant-singh-kirpal-singh-badungar|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 November 2012|title=Precious books will be returned: Kalam assures SGPC chief|last=Rana|first=Yudhvir|date=25 Mar 2003|work=[[The Times of India]]|accessdate=21 February 2011}}</ref>

InOn 26 April 2004, the [[Punjab and Haryana High Court]] ordered the [[Government of India|Central Government]], [[Government of Punjab (India)|Government of Punjab]], and the CBI to return the "valuables, books, scriptures, paintings, etc, that were seized from the Golden Temple during “Operation Bluestar” in 1984".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040427/punjab1.htm#38|title=Material seized during Bluestar to be returned|work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|publisher=The Tribune|accessdate=21 February 2011|___location=Chandigarh}}</ref>

In February and May 2009, [[A. K. Antony]], defense minister of India, claimed in parliament that the Indian Army no longer had any material taken from the library.<ref name="dna_missing_2009">{{cite news|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/special_sgpc-centre-spar-over-golden-temples-missing-manuscripts_1234589|title=SGPC, Centre spar over Golden Temple's missing manuscripts - India - DNA|last=Bharadwaj|first=Ajay|date=27 Feb 2009|work=[[Daily News and Analysis]]|accessdate=22 February 2011|___location=Chandigarh}}</ref><ref name="tribune_antony_2009">{{cite news|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090522/punjab.htm#1|title=No Sikh reference books with us: Antony|last=Walia|first=Varinder|date=21 May 2009|work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|publisher=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]]|accessdate=22 February 2011}}</ref> Various members of parliament and the SGPC criticized him for "misleading parliament".<ref name="dna_missing_2009" /><ref name="tribune_antony_2009" />

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==References==

{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Amritsar]]

[[Category:Sikh places]]

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[[Category:Defunct libraries]]

[[Category:Libraries established in 1946]]

[[categoryCategory:Libraries disestablished in 1984]]

[[Category:Libraries in India]]

[[Category:1946 establishments in India]]