SGPC and PSGPC starts akhand path ahead of Operation Bluestar anniversary

AMRITSAR: Both the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) began akhand paath (non stop recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib) on Tuesday, the bhog , ceremony of conclusion of paath, of which will be performed on June 6 to mark the 35 anniversary of Operation Bluestar, an Army operation to flush out the armed terrorists from Golden Temple complex.
Former president of PSGPC Bishan Singh informed TOI on Tuesday that akhand path had been begun both at Gurdwara Janamasthan Nankana Sahib, Nankana Sahib as well as at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore.
"Sikhs living across the globe can never forget the Army attack on their holiest shrine," said Bishan Singh.
In Amritsar, SGPC also started akhand path to commemorate those who were killed during Operation Bluestar. The bhog ceremony would be held on Thursday morning.
Sikh's prominent seminary Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Khalsa informed that they had been able to collect around 70 per cent out of 900 pictures of those who were killed in Operation Bluestar for displaying them in 'martyrs gallery' .
Meanwhile, Pakistan government has postponed the visit of Indian Sikh jatha which was to leave for Pakistan to observe martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev due to Eid.
Swaran Singh Gill, president of Nankana Sahib Sikh Yatree Jatha, informed that Pakistan High Commission had earlier given their programme for Indian Sikh jatha's visit from June 8 to 17 but now they had rescheduled it from June 14 to 23 due to Eid celebrations.
According to original plan, the Sikh jatha normally first goes to Gurdwara Panja Sahib, Hasanabdal and pay obeisance at other Gurdwara's and then observe martyrdom day of Guru Arjan Dev on June 16 at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore before returning to India on June 17 but according to new programme, the Sikh jatha would first reach at Gurdwara Dera Sahib, Lahore on June 14 and will begin the akhand path, the bogh of which would be performed on June 17 and then they would visit other Gurdwara's in Pakistan before returning on June 23, said Gill.
Notably, SGPC has already announced to not send Sikh jatha on the occasion of martyrdom anniversary of Guru Arjan Dev to Pakistan after Pakistan High Commission refused to issue visas according to SGPC's programme which was chalked out on the basis of SGPC published and Akal Takht approved Nanakshahi Calendar (NC) whereas Pakistan has given approval to Pal Singh Purewal authored NC which was implemented in 2003. Dates of many Sikh religious occasions differ in both the NC's.
Both the SGPC and PSGPC would observe Guru's martyrdom anniversary on June 7 and June 16.