The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee on Saturday displayed a portrait of Sikh militant Balwinder Singh Jatana at Central Sikh Museum situated in the Golden Temple complex.

Jatana had killed two government officials supervising the construction of the Sutlej-Yamuna link canal in 1990. Besides Jatana's portrait, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) also installed portraits of Nawab Rai Bular Ahmed Bhatti, a devotee of Guru Nanak Dev, and former SGPC members Jathedar Joginder Singh Panjrath and Harinder Singh Ranian.

In a statement, the SGPC said the portraits were unveiled during a ceremony by SGPC chief Harjinder Singh and 'Granthi' of Golden Temple Giani Rajdeep Singh.

The SGPC president said the museum is an important source of Sikh history and the portraits of those who made sacrifice for the community are displayed here.

About Jatana, he said, "The protector of the waters fiercely opposed the SYL canal without caring for his life." The SGPC chief said Nawab Rai Bular Bhatti was a true devotee of Guru Nanak Dev. Expressing his devotion to the first Sikh Guru, Rai Bular had offered a big share of his property for Gurdwara Nankana Sahib at Lahore in Pakistan.

Rai Bular's descendants could not visit the Golden Temple for the event as they were denied visa.

The SGPC chief also honoured family members of those whose portraits were put on display at the museum.