CHANDIGARH: Akal Takht Jathedar (high priest) Giani Harpreet Singh has asked people to keep off Chinese and other cuisine to combat COVID-19 and other diseases. He exhorted people to go back to the traditional desi diet taken in villages to boost one’s immunity.
Talking in Amritsar, Singh said, "The lockdown is not the answer to this pandemic. We should change our habits and adopt our traditional culture. We should start eating desi food and only then will we be able to boost our immunity and thus be able to fight this virus and other diseases. We should avoid eating Chinese and other cuisines."
On a day when the Centre asked states to implement the COVID-19 restrictions strictly to contain the spread of the virus and with the Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh making it clear that there would be no relaxation till May 3, the high priest expressed his reservations about the success of the lockdown.
Stressing that the lockdown was not the way to prevent coronavirus, Harpreet Singh said that in the long run even if it helps in saving five lives, it will lead to the death of 25 people due to hunger and unemployment.
Asked about the case of Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa whose family has demanded a CBI inquiry into his death as they allege that it was due to the negligence of doctors, Singh said that the family should be given satisfaction.
Meanwhile, on the incident of a man and his son being beaten up and paraded naked in the police station by the state police in Khanna a few days back, he said that it was an unfortunate incident which should not have taken place and strict action should be taken against the guilty officers.
He said a similar incident took place in 2017 in Bathinda district and if police officials were taken to task at that time, this incident in Khanna would have not taken place.