Amritsar: The 39th anniversary of Operation Bluestar, also known as Ghallughara Divas, remained largely subdued today as compared to previous occasions when radical Sikh activists brandished swords and indulged in clashes.

Barring some pro-Khalistan sloganeering, no chaotic scene was witnessed in the Golden Temple complex. Heavy police deployment in “mufti” and the SGPC task force remained on their toes to deal with any untoward incident.

Amritsar Police Commissioner Naunihal Singh said a holistic approach was adopted to take all stakeholders into confidence well in advance. “We acknowledged their pain and sentiments towards the ghallughara, but also convinced them to be considerate about peace. There was no brandishing of swords or hooliganism this time. We won the confidence of the public by snubbing the elements that disturb peace,” he said.

During his customary address, Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh gave a call to all Sikh sects to join hands and work in the direction of strengthening the “Sikh shakti”, especially in the rural belt.

The Jathedar said, “The scars of 1984 have made the Sikhs ‘majboot’ and not ‘majboor’, as is being projected on social media. No ‘hukumraan’ (rulers) ever bothered to heal the wounds of the Sikhs.”

“Sikhs can never forget the wounds of 1984. It’s not advisable to expect the government to heal these wounds. I want to clarify that misleading propaganda on social media boosts our strength,” said the Jathedar.

Hinting towards conversion to Christianity, especially in the rural belt, the Jathedar said the need of the hour was to maintain unity among the Sikh community. He stressed the need for strengthening Sikh institutions and said these should not go into the government’s hands.