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Tension is building in Punjab following reports that some sections of the Damdami Taksal were planning to perform the last rites of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale on June 6 - 18th anniversary of Operation Blue Star.
Bhindranwale and his followers, who had taken refuge in various buildings in the Golden Temple complex in the heady days of Punjab militancy, were killed when the Indian Army stormed the complex using heavy armoury to flush out the militants.
According to a senior Akali Dal leader, hard-core loyalists of Bhindranwale were trying to resurrect the memories of those days by performing his last rites.
The Damdami Taksal was once headed by Bhindranwale.
Though Jathedar Singh Sahib Joginder Singh Vedanti, head priest of the Akal Takht, refused to comment on the issue, those who have been following developments in Amritsar fear that the latest move by the Damdami Taksal might have an adverse effect in the days to come.
"With elections round the corner - assembly elections are due in January/February next year - these sort of developments should serve as a warning to those who aspire to a life of peace and harmony," said a senior police official who had fought the battle against terrorists in the state.
Insiders say that Bhindranwale's family - which had being keeping a low profile so far - might eventually participate in the function.
Bhindranwale's son is now in his twenties and has been singing praises of his father describing him as a shaheed (martyr).
In April, police had arrested Khalistan Commando Force chief Wassan Singh Zaffarwal, who was a close associate of Bhindranwale and instrumental in sowing the seeds of militancy in Punjab.
Congress Member of Parliament Buta Singh had recently raised the issue of the Zaffarwal's return and expressed fears that it was an attempt to revive the separatist movement, which had done harm to the state.
On Bhindranwale's last rites, Singh said it was an internal affair of the Akalis.
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