Pro-Khalistan slogans, Bhindranwale posters raised outside Golden Temple in Amritsar

Pro-Khalistan slogans and posters of Khalistani separatist Jarnail Bhindranwale were raised at the entrance of the Golden Temple in Amritsar today by a group of people, news agency ANI reported.

Punjab is in the news for all wrong reasons since the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) formed the government in the state in March this year. The first major incident that placed Punjab in a bad light was a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack at the state police’s intelligence wing headquarters in Mohali. The second incident that drew severe flak for the AAP government was the murder of 28-year-old Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wale the day after his security was withdrawn.

Notably, Khalistan had become a thing of the past but after comedian-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann took charge as the Chief Minister, Khalistan supporters are trying to make inroads in the state, throwing the law and order situation out of control.

Today's incident outside the Golden Temple coincides with the 38th anniversary of Operation Blue Star when the Indian Army had flushed out terrorists hiding in the temple complex in Amritsar.

Last week, Mann had reviewed the law-and-order situation ahead of the Operation Blue Star anniversary and said that the police have been put on high alert for maintaining peace. He had asked senior officers of the police and civil administration to ensure elaborate security arrangements before June 6 across the state.