Picture Credit: Instagram
It wasn't the best of Mondays for veteran India spinner Harbhajan Singh as he was trending on social media for all the wrong reasons. Notably, he received all kind of flack for his "tribute" post for Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. The same didn't go down well with many of his followers and other netizens on the internet as they slammed him for "glorifying" Bhindranwale, who was killed inside the Golden Temple during Operation Blue Star in 1984.
What's the matter?
Notably, Sunday was the 37th anniversary of Operation Blue Star and Bhajji took to his Instagram story sharing a poster featuring Bhindranwale. To make matters worse, the post addressed Bhindranwale as a "martyr". "Heartfelt tribute to those martyred in Operation inside Shri Harmandir Sahib on June 1- June 6, 1984," the Punjabi post roughly translated to in English read.
Check out Harbhajan's controversial social media post here:
What was Operation Blue Star?
Notably, Bhindranwale was chosen as the head of the Sikh religious institution Damdami Taksaal in 1977 after the death of Sant Kartar Singh. However, it was in 1978 when he stoked hogged the headlines by delivering a fiery speech against the Nirankari sect for taking out a procession throughout the streets of Amritsar. Post that, at least 13 people marching with him were killed by the Nirankaris as he emerged as the centre of fury and anger as Sikhs were angry at the murderers.
But things took an ugly turn when Bhindranwale, who had by then amassed a lot of followers, propagated the creation of a Sikhism-based theocratic nation of Khalistan. Consequently, he and his supporters who were convinced of the idea of Khalistan occupied the Akal Takht complex, including the Golden Temple in Amritsar, even giving refuge to all the anti-social elements and criminals.
Operation Blue Star was nothing but a response to this, launched by the Central government-led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, which succeeded in rescuing the Golden Temple from these terrorists, killing their leader Bhindranwale on June 6.
I posted in haste without even realising the content used and what it signified or stood for: Bhajji
Post a lot of criticism and harsh comments on internet, the two-time World Cup winner with the Indian national team has come forward to issue an apology. The Kolkata Knight Riders player made it clear he doesn't support anything that is anti-India or against his own countrymen. He further said that he received the poster featuring Bhindranwale on WhatsApp and shared it without realising what it was.
"I just wish to clarify and apologise for an Instagram post yesterday. It was a WhatsApp forward that I posted in haste without even realising the content used and what it signified or stood for. That was my mistake I accept, and no stage do I subscribe to the views on that post or support the people who's pictures were carried. I am a Sikh who will fight for India and not against India. This is my unconditional apology for hurting the sentiments of my nation in fact any anti-national group against my people I do not support and never will," Harbhajan wrote.
"I have given my blood and sweat for this country for 20 years and will never ever support anything that is anti-India," he added.
The Turbanator will be back in the action in the remainder of the IPL 2021 in UAE, plying his trade for KKR.