A violent incident occurred between the Sant Nirankari Mission, a heretic sect and traditional Sikhs on 13 April 1978 at Amritsar, Punjab, India. Sixteen people—thirteen traditional Sikhs and three Nirankari followers—were killed in the ensuing violence started by armed Nirankaris firing on Sikh protesters. Clashes occurred when some Akhand Kirtani Jatha and Damdami Taksal members led by Fauja Singh protested against and tried to stop a convention of Sant Nirankari Mission followers. This incident is considered to be a starting point in the events leading to Operation Blue Star and the 1980s insurgency in Punjab.
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Background
Nirankari, a heretic movement within Sikhism, started in the 19th century. Their belief in a living guru as opposed to the scriptural guru Guru Granth Sahib resulted in their difference with traditional Sikhs. In 1929, a break-way faction Sant Nirankari was formed by Avtar Singh. Sant Nirankari also adopted many variations from Sikhs. They were further accused by Sikhs of criticizing Sikhism and its Gurus using texts such as Avtar Bani and Yug Purash. These tensions lead to their clashes with Sikh organizations mainly Damdami Taksal and Akhand Kirtni Jatha at many places in Punjab.
Incident
On 13 April 1978 Sant Nirankaris organized a convention in Amritsar to be headed by their leader Gurbachan Singh. Damdami Taksal and Akhand Kirtni Jatha perceived this event as an insult to Sikhism as 13 April is celebrated by Sikhs as the birth of Khalsa. A group of Sikhs led by Fauja Singh marched from Harmandir Sahib (The Golden Temple) to the venue to prevent the Nirankari convention. In the ensuing violence 11 members of Akhand Kirtni Jatha including Fauja Singh, 2 followers of Bhindranwale and 3 Nirankaris, total 16 people were killed.
Aftermath
62 Nirankaris including Gurbhachan Singh were charged with the murder of 13 Sikhs. But they were acquitted on the basis that they acted in self-defence. This incident is considered to be the starting point of the events leading to Operation Blue Star and the insurgency in 1980s in Punjab. Gurbhachan Singh was murdered in 1980, allegedly by Ranjit Singh, who later become head of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). Ranjit Singh spent 12 years in jail as an under-trial from 1984 to 1996. Several other members of Sant Nirankari Mission were also killed later. In 1978, after the incident Akal Takht issued a Hukamnama expelling Nirankaris out of the Sikh community.
Legacy
Gurudwara Shaheed-Ganj, Amritsar was raised in the memory of the Sikhs killed in the clash.