Sri Amritsar-Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, has strongly condemned the killing of Sikh youth Parwinder Singh in Mansa, describing it as a huge loss for the Panth and Punjab and a failure of the Punjab government to curb the drug menace.
The Jathedar said that during the Miri-Piri Khalsa March, which began in July, he met many young people, distressed mothers and families in hundreds of villages across Punjab, who highlighted the severe impact of drugs at the grassroots level. He said that during the march, it was felt that the drug network in Punjab was deeply entrenched, with drugs being easily available through home delivery and the network operating on a large scale through medical shops as well. He said this network of drug traffickers was causing immense damage to Punjab.
The Jathedar said it was extremely unfortunate that Parwinder Singh, a son of the Panth and Punjab, had been snatched away from his parents, children and family forever while opposing drug traffickers. The incident had once again brought the serious drug problem in Punjab into focus. He said drug peddlers had become so emboldened that they were openly committing murders as well as selling drugs, while governments remained asleep. These drug traffickers were already destroying Punjab's youth through intoxicating pills, and had now begun killing young people directly by shooting them with bullets, the Jathedar said.
Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said he was deeply pained to hear the statement by Punjab minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who claimed that Parwinder Singh had a personal dispute with his killer and was killed because of it. He said the minister should clarify what this personal dispute was. He said opposing drugs and those selling them could not be termed a personal dispute.
The Jathedar said that while the government made claims about its Yudh Nasheyan Virudh (war against drugs) campaign, the reality on the ground was evident to everyone. He said Punjab's youth were being killed in two ways—first, through drug overdoses, and second, by opposing drug smuggling. He recalled that recently, a Sikh youth who opposed drugs in Gaggu Bua village of Tarn Taran district had also been killed in broad daylight by a drug trafficker in a similar manner.
Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said the incident was part of a larger conspiracy being carried out to destroy Punjab's youth. He said immediate action should be taken against the accused in the case and all other individuals involved behind the scenes should also be exposed. He said the drug network must be dismantled, but governments had completely failed in this regard.
The Jathedar said the murder of a young man for opposing drugs was a huge loss for Punjab, and it was extremely unfortunate that voices courageously raising the issue of drugs were being silenced. He appealed to all Sikh organisations and institutions to extend full support to Parwinder Singh's family. He said he would soon visit the family along with Jathedar of Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, Baba Tek Singh and assured them that Sri Akal Takht Sahib stood firmly with the family.
He said the need of the hour was to make Punjab beautiful and healthy and to strongly oppose those selling drugs. He urged people to extend maximum support to all families that had suffered for opposing the drug menace.