A huge rally was held in Vancouver downtown on Saturday (June 4) evening in memory of those who died fighting the Indian army during the infamous Operation Bluestar in 1984.

On the 32nd anniversary of this event, wreaths were laid outside the Vancouver Art Gallery underneath columns of names of militants who died in the Indian Army's attack on the Golden Temple complex.

The military action at the holiest Sikh shrine occurred in the first week of June 1984 in Amritsar, India. The army invasion was aimed at flushing out armed militants inside the place of worship. 

The attack killed many extremists and even ordinary devotees who were caught in the crossfire. Buildings inside the temple complex were also heavily destroyed, evoking an angry reaction from the Sikhs across the world.

The whole incident left the Sikh community alienated from the Indian mainstream and fuelled demands for Khalistan, a separate homeland for Sikhs.

The large number of Sikh men and women at the Vancouver Art Gallery paid homage to militant leaders of that era. A few people were seen wearing black turbans and clothing as a sign of mourning.

The picture of the devastated building of the Akal Takhat, the highest temporal seat of the Sikhs inside the Golden Temple Complex was prominently displayed.

Imagery of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the firebrand Sikh preacher who led the militants during the army attack and died fighting against the military, also greeted visitors from different corners of the rally. Several young men were seen wearing T-shirts bearing his portrait.

Pro-Khalistan slogans were shouted by several participants, while Khalistani flags fluttered on the occasion.

Representatives of various Sikh temples in Greater Vancouver were also present as special buses bought people to the rally.

The wreaths that were placed under the “martyrs’ column” were brought with respect by a band team. The event began with ardaas (a Sikh prayer). The prayer asked for peace to the departed souls and political liberation from India, as well as for freedom of all Sikh political prisoners detained in India.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was recently accused by the Indian intelligence and the media of running an armed training camp in B.C., was also present.

Nijjar, who is a Sikh activist, claims his innocence and blames Indian intelligence officials for creating a false alarm to defame the Sikh struggle abroad.

His case has been taken up by Sikhs For Justice; an advocacy group that supports Sikh sovereignty, whose members were also in attendance. 

Among them is Jatinder Singh Grewal, who told the Straight that Nijjar wouldn’t speak to the media directly and all the questions relating to his case would be answered by his lawyer.

Nijjar has already written a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau seeking his intervention into the case.