Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj on Friday accorded the status of a martyr of the Sikh community to Punjab anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was shot dead earlier this week, news agency Press Trust of India reported.
Giani Gargajj and Takht Sri Damdama Sahib Jathedar Giani Tek Singh visited Mansa to meet Jhota's family and offer their condolences.
Jhota was shot dead by medical store owner Ashwani Kumar in a busy market in Mansa on Tuesday. According to PTI, Kumar opened fire when Jhota questioned him over the sale of addictive drugs to an elderly man. Kumar was subsequently arrested.
Giani Gargajj offered an 'ardas', or Sikh prayer, in Jhota's memory. Jhota's father, Bhim Singh, other family members and members of the 'sangat' attended the prayer.
During the prayers, Giani Gargajj said Punjab's youth were dying from drug overdoses, while those speaking out against drugs were being shot dead. He said Jhota had attained martyrdom while fighting the drug menace.
He prayed for strength and success for the anti-drug campaign started by Jhota, the family's continuing struggle for justice and efforts to dismantle the drug trade. He also prayed that Hindus, Sikhs, Muslims and members of other communities in Punjab would unite against drugs and that the state's youth would be protected.
The Jathedar embraced Jhota's two sons and encouraged them to remain steadfast. He appealed to the Sikh community and the people of Punjab to extend maximum support to the bereaved family.
Honouring Jhota as a martyr, Giani Gargajj said he had other options in life but chose the path of sacrifice while fighting for the people and the youth. He said young people who raised their voices against drugs were being targeted and killed.
"A person's body can be destroyed, but not their ideology," he said, adding that the self-respecting people of Punjab would strongly oppose such acts.
Giani Gargajj said Sri Akal Takht Sahib, the supreme temporal seat of the Sikhs, endorsed the programmes that would be announced by the committee formed to pursue justice for Jhota.
He warned against attempts to portray the incident as a conflict between Hindus and Sikhs. He said it was a collective struggle by all communities in Punjab against drugs and asked the government to identify and act against those trying to create communal discord.
The Jathedar said attempts at communal provocation and polarisation would not be allowed to succeed in Punjab. He said the Punjab bandh observed on Wednesday had shown that people from all communities stood together in the fight against drugs.
Giani Gargajj said the drug menace must be eradicated from its roots and that the responsibility rested with the government. He reiterated that Jhota had sacrificed his life while fighting drugs and urged all communities to support his family and continue the campaign.
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