CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has approved the installation of a portrait of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota at the Central Sikh Museum in the Golden Temple complex. Jhota was killed while opposing drugs.
The decision was taken at an executive committee meeting chaired by SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Friday. The committee also decided to hold its annual general house meeting on November 20 to elect the president and other office-bearers for the coming year. The meeting will be held at noon at Teja Singh Samundri Hall at the SGPC headquarters. Elections will be held for the posts of president, senior vice-president, junior vice-president, general secretary and members of the executive committee.
The committee passed a resolution condemning Jhota’s murder and expressing concern over the growing drug menace in Punjab. It alleged that the state government was targeting people raising their voices against drugs instead of acting against those involved in the drug trade. It said Jhota had fallen victim to the government’s failure to tackle the problem.
Dhami said Jhota’s struggle to save Punjab’s youth from drugs and his sacrifice would be remembered through the installation of his portrait in the museum.
The committee also condemned the registration of an FIR against around 40 youths who took part in a recent anti-drug protest in Mansa. It alleged that Punjab Police removed the turbans of Sikh protesters, misbehaved with women and arrested some participants during the crackdown. It demanded the withdrawal of the case, the release of the arrested youths and strict action against those involved in the drug trade.
The executive committee approved financial assistance of Rs 2.5 lakh to the family of Manpreet Singh, who died of electrocution while removing a poster during a protest over Jhota’s killing.
It also approved financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each to 479 Sikh soldiers who rebelled against the then Congress government following the June 1984 Army operation at the Golden Temple. A three per cent dearness allowance for SGPC employees was also approved.