Harbhajan Singh dubs Khalistani terrorist Bhindranwale 'martyr'; draws massive flak

In a controversial move, cricketer Harbhajan Singh paid tribute to Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and others killed inside the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star. The late PM Indira Gandhi had ordered Operation Blue Star whereby the Indian Army entered the Golden Temple in 1984 to flush out the terrorists led by Bhindranwale who wanted a carve out a sovereign state for the Sikh community. While Singh did not explicitly name Bhindranwale, his photo is featured prominently in the former's Instagram story on June 6. 

Posted on the 37th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, the post begins with the caption 'Salute to the martyrs'. The text in the image written in Punjabi reads, "Heartfelt tribute to those martyred in Operation inside Shri Harmandir Sahib on June 1- June 6, 1984". So far, Bhajji is yet to retract the post or tender an apology. 

Here is Harbhajan Singh's post: 

Harbhajan Singh's controversial post draws flak on social media:

Operation Blue Star

Born in 1947, Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was chosen as the head of the Sikh religious institution Damdami Taksaal in 1977 after Sant Kartar Singh was killed in a road accident. He rose to prominence on Baisakhi Day in spring 1978 when he stoked tempers by delivering a fiery speech against the members of the Nirankari sect as they took out a procession throughout the streets of Amritsar. After 13 persons marching with him were killed by the Nirankaris, he became the focal point for the outrage as Sikhs erupted in anger at the murders.

As the Shiromani Akali Dal-Janata Party government was in power in Punjab, Congress allegedly decided to back Bhindranwale to challenge the SAD. In fact, he even campaigned for some of the Congress candidates in the 1980 general election in which Indira Gandhi came back to power. However, things turned awry as the preacher propagated the creation of a Sikhism-based theocratic nation of Khalistan. Subsequently and his Khalistani supporters occupied the Akal Takht complex, including the Golden Temple, in Amritsar and gave refugee to all hues of criminal elements.

This compelled the Centre to launch Operation Blue Star which succeeded in rescuing the religious place from the clutches of the terrorists in June 1984. However, Indira Gandhi was assassinated just a few months later on October 31, 1984, by two of her Sikh bodyguards, Satwant Singh and Beant Singh. On Sunday, supporters of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Mann) raised pro-Khalistan slogans at the Golden Temple. Describing the event as a "holocaust of 84", Jathedar Akal Takht Gyani Harpreet Singh equated the Army action to a country attacking another nation and advocated maintaining unity among the Sikh community.