Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj Asks For Action Against Cops Over Torture, Desecration of Sikh Youth’s Kakkars

Sri Amritsar, September 4: Kanwar Partap Singh / Tajeemnoor Kaur

Taking strong notice of the torture and desecration of kakaars (articles of Sikh faith) by Punjab Police officials at the behest of government, of a Sikh youth Mohanjit Singh of Sheron village in Sangrur district for raising his voice against drugs and protesting during the chief minister’s visit to the village, Sri Akal Takht Sahib Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj has asked for strict action against the accused police officers.
Speaking to the media at Gurdwara Sri Bhattha Sahib in Ropar on Friday during the start of the Miri-Piri Khalsa March, Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said the march had so far highlighted the serious problem of drug abuse in Punjab. He said 10 to 15 youths in every village had fallen victim to drugs and asserted that the sale of “chitta” (heroin/synthetic drugs) must be stopped completely in Punjab, alleging that it was being sold under the government’s watch.
Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said Sikh youth Mohanjit Singh of Sheron village had peacefully shown a black flag to Guru Dokhi and Khalsa Panth Virodhi chief minister from the rooftop of his neighbour’s house, which, he said, was his democratic right. Showing a black flag was not a crime, he said, but local DSP Harwinder Singh Khaira put the same flag around the youth’s neck and dragged him away before subjecting him to severe illegal torture.
The Jathedar said he had also spoken to the Sangrur district superintendent of police and asked that the DSP and the SHO responsible for torturing the Sikh youth and desecrating his kakaars be immediately dismissed and legal action should be initiated against them.
According to the youth’s disclosure, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said, police struck his waist with a wire brush and poured salt on the wounds, hit him on the head with shoes, disrespected his beard and hair, and removed and tore his kachhera (prescribed shorts – kakaar). He said that if the police failed to dismiss the officials concerned and register a case against them for hurting religious sentiments and subjecting the youth to torture, Sri Akal Takht Sahib would stand with the victim and take further action in the matter. He added that he would soon visit the youth.
Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said that if such treatment was meted out to Sikhs by the government in Punjab itself, it raised questions about what could be expected elsewhere in the world. He said that the present government was following the path of Zakariya Khan by perpetrating oppression and torture against Sikh youths, which would not be tolerated.
Questioning the state of democracy, he asked whether Punjab Police had become a law unto itself, with the government giving it unrestricted powers to do whatever it wanted. He said the Sikh youth had been opposing drugs and that the government should take effective steps to curb the rampant spread of drugs in Punjab.
The Jathedar said youths suffering from drug addiction needed help and support rather than being ostracised by society. He appealed to the youth to return to Sri Anandpur Sahib, keep their kes (unshorn hair), give up drugs and reconnect with the Sikh way of life and the teachings of the Guru.