Drug addiction spreads
by Gobind Thukral
Three decades ago we visited the inner Malwa area of Punjab to find out the level of drug addiction. We heard shocking tales of how youth were getting hooked to opium, bhuki and narcotics. Worse, pharmaceutical combinations meant to treat diseases were being consumed for a high.
At Bathinda’s Red Cross de-addiction centre, some well-built youth hailing from rich land-owning families looked pale and forlorn. Some were even married and had children. Doctors and relatives were working hard to wean them from the deadly habit but with limited success.
Parents cursed their fate as wives and sisters prayed to the Almighty to help their husbands and brothers recover. Farm labourers were more miserable as not many had relatives and friends to help them get out of the killer habit. In all, it was a miserable story of hopelessness.
Those were then the sad tales from the Malwa of Punjab. Now drug addiction has spread to all corners of Punjab and Chandigarh. In many villages, towns and cities, not a single family is spared. Haggard youth, locally called “smackia”, greet you at bus terminals, in street corners, close to chemist shops and liquor vends. At marriages and other social gatherings they form separate groups.
Elders advise you to steer clear of these louts. Many parents and elders wish them either dead or move to some foreign lands with the hope that work would reform them.
A senior doctor at Chandigarh’s PGI has estimated the number of drug addicts at several lakhs in Punjab. He also revealed shocking tales of ingenuity like roasting of lizards or even consuming pain killers and tranquillisers of various forms. Narcotic powder and heroin seized in Punjab in the last three years is sufficient as a single dose for over 50 lakh people.
Once hooked, young men soon graduate to cough syrups and then move on to a lethal diet of opium, charas, ganja, mandrax, smack and heroin. Those who cannot afford these take a deep breath of petrol or spread Iodex on bread to get a momentary thrill.
Studies by PGI doctors over the years have found peer pressure, thrill-seeking and even curiosity about drugs as the main factors that make youth take to drugs. Lack of any purpose in life was another key reason.
Myths related to sexual potency, thrill-seeking and punitive attitude of elders and lack of support during periods of stress were other reasons for drug addiction. This widespread consumption of intoxicants gives a false sense of coming-of-age status for youth.
The Punjab Department of Social Security Development of Women and Children conducted a survey in 2005 and found 67 per cent of the rural households in Punjab having one drug addict each. The report that covered Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Muktsar and Gurdaspur found narcotics were the most common form of addiction.
Dr Ravinder Singh Sandhu, Professor, Department of Sociology, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, found more than 73 per cent of drug addicts belong to the age group of 16-35 years. There are numerous studies to warn political and social leaders of the dangerous situation where Punjab has landed in. Intriguingly, the excise policy followed by the successive governments is liberal and aims at getting more and more taxes through more and more liquor vends.
Currently, the revenue is around Rs 1,728 crore as opposed to Rs 1,656 crore in 2007-08.
There were 6,902 liquor vends in Punjab. In Chandigarh there are more liquor vends than government primary schools. Now add to this illicit distillation, almost two times and the sixth river of Punjab is full of intoxicants.
There is a well-knit nexus that makes the supply and sale of drugs a smooth lucrative business and it puts to shame the government’s lethargic corrupt functioning. The smuggler-police-politician nexus, aided by a chain of retail outlets, works smoothly. Interestingly, politicians and law-enforcement agents blame each other for the mess. We all know how politicians use smugglers for money and musclemen.
Chemists along with quacks, drug peddlers and truck drivers have been identified as the main supply sources of drugs in Punjab. Chemists provide drugs to addicts without a prescription. Even many of the so-called de-addiction centres are actually proving to be addiction centres. These are, in fact, supplying drugs to the inmates. The number of chemist shops and de-addiction centres has increased at an unbelievable rate. Private de-addiction centres lack basic facilities but earn a quick buck.
Now during the election time, the supply is maintained by political leaders to please voters. Several thousand new drug addicts have been added during the present elections.
The problem has assumed epidemic proportions in the rural areas where the education level is low and unemployment rampant. Not a single village is without scores of drug addicts.
Is this not the time for leaders like Mr Parkash Singh Badal and Capt Amarinder Singh to at least instruct their candidates and cadres not to supply drugs to voters?
with thanks : source : http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20090509/edit.htm#7
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Source:Drug addiction spreads – in Punjab
Guru Nanak Daata Baksh Lai Mission, founded in 1999 by Brig. Partap Singh Ji Jaspal (Retd.), is at the forefront of promoting universality of Sikhism and its Divine Content, embracing the whole mankind as one global family of the sole beloved God. It reaches out to the world through the mediums of internet, TV channels, audio and video productions, and book publications. The mission seeks no publicity and serves the whole global community in the firm belief of oneness of godhood and oneness of the mankind. This mission is purely a labor of love of a family group and is based at 203, Sector 33-A, Chandigarh.
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Source:Guru Nanak Daata Baksh Lai Mission:
Posted by Reema
Thematically Sikh paintings are rare. Thus, when I came across the paintings below, I thought I should share. The oil paintings below are the work of Jaswant Singh Zafar. He’s a poet, photographer, and painter in his free time and an engineer in Ludhiana by day. This year, he’s spending his free time creating a series of paintings under the theme of ‘Gurbani.’ The paintings completed thus far weave the mool mantar through various aspects of nature, shapes, and other backgrounds.
At the end of the year, the series will be in an exhibition at the Artmosphere Gallery in Ludhiana. Artmosphere was created to provide a platform for budding artists in Ludhiana and Punjab such as Jaswant Singh Zafar. Such an endeavor cheers me and gives hope that the visual arts scene there is growing.
with thanks : source : http://thelangarhall.com/archives/3288
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Source:Sikh Art: mool mantar through oil paintings
Toronto (IANS): A visiting Pakistan minister vowed to protect Sikhs from the Taliban even as Canada announced $5 million for Pakistan’s Sikh families who have fled the Swat Valley after the imposition of ‘jaziya’ (tax on non-Muslims) by the Taliban.
Announcing the $5-million package at a round-table here, Canada’s newest Sikh MP Tim Uppal said: “I am pleased to announce on behalf of the prime minister that the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has committed 5 million dollars to the humanitarian effort to help those people displaced by the conflict.”
Mr. Uppal, who is the ruling party MP from Edmonton, said: “We call upon the government of Pakistan to ensure the security and safety of all its citizens, including religious minorities.”
Pakistan’s Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti, who was a special invitee to the round-table, said: “I want the minorities to know that they have a brother and a friend in the government of Pakistan who will do all in his power to stop atrocities on Sikhs in Pakistan.”
When asked whether the Pakistan government will compensate the Sikhs for the money taken away by the Taliban, the minister only said: “I strongly condemn the jaziya collected from Sikhs by the Taliban.”
The Pakistani government has announced a token compensation of $120 each to the displaced Sikh families, many of whom have sought refuge in the historic Sikh shrine at Hasan Abdal.
Asked by round-table convener and filmmaker Roger Nair how Pakistan could justify such a small amount, the minister said Sikh refugees are “still in a better shape than many of over a million or so refugees since they have a better organised structure in the form of gurdwaras”.
The Toronto-based South Asians for Human Rights Association (SAHRA), which organised the round-table discussion with the visiting Pakistani minister, offered to sponsor 50 displaced Sikh and Hindu families as refugees to Canada.
“We have written to the Canadian government to sponsor these families from Pakistan. We will work with both the governments and local bodies to identify displaced families due to the Jaziya tax and sponsor them,” said SAHRA chairman Nair.
He also demanded the abolition of the blasphemy law in Pakistan under which the murderers of a 27-year-old Hindu worker Jagdish Kumar last year went unpunished.
with thanks : source : http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200905191211.htm
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Source:Pak vows to protect Sikhs from Taliban; Canada announces aid
Just read the news item Leaving Punjab on the Cancer Train, on Mr Sikhnet Posted by Sundari in Health, which says about A recent story on NPR discussed the “cancer train” in Punjab. The train is so named as it routinely carries about 60 patients and their families from Bathinda to the town of Bikaner in order to get treatment at the government’s regional cancer center.
Please note that the cancer patients can get absolutely free treatment at the DELHI STATE CANCER INSTITUTE. Free Chemotherapy, Free Radiation, Free routine checkup everything on the first come first served basis. They had to open the in house Admission with all the rest of facilities alongwith the private wards. This hospital, fully airconditioned was started by Mrs. Shiela Dixit, Chief minister Delhi.The detailed address, Tel number can be checked from http://www.sohnijodi.com/sohnijodi%20punjab%20related%20news.htm
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Source:Cancer treatment in Delhi
May 10, 2009
The Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) is crying foul again at the BBC. It said that Sikhs were allegedly snubbed during a discussion on a BBC Radio 4 show.
In a press release, NSO said, “On Sunday 5th April, this year, BBC Radio 4′s ‘Sunday’ religious programme carried a lengthy discussion on ‘leadership in different religions. The producers invited representatives from different branches of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and the Hindu faith and even a ‘secularist’ to contribute to the debate, but deliberately avoided inviting a Sikh.”
The release further claimed that “no attempt was made to contact the NSO the largest grouping of Sikhs in the UK, nor as far as we are aware, any other Sikh organisation. Why?”
The organisation further attacked the public service broadcaster for not carrying any mentions of the important Sikh festival of Vasaikhi being celebrated by Sikhs throughout the world. It said, “The BBC’s own section on religion on the Internet acknowledges Vasaikhi as being ‘one of the most important dates in the Sikh calendar’.”
Last year, the media monitoring group said it was unhappy with the lack of coverage to the Sikh and Hindu faiths on BBC TV and radio.
A breakdown of programming from the BBC’s Religion and Ethics department, revealed that since 2001, the BBC made forty-one faith programmes on Islam, compared with just five on Hinduism and one on Sikhism. This research and subsequent concern within both the Sikh and Hindu communities caused some furore and was widely reported in the press.
Dr. Indarjit Singh, the Director of the Network of Sikh Organisations is extremely concerned by these recent developments.
Asked to comment, he said, “I’m not really sure to what extent this lack of sensitivity to Sikhs is deliberate or simply due to ignorance. In any event, it is extremely serious and the BBC should take urgent steps to ensure fairness to all communities in its religious coverage.”
At the time of filing this article, BizAsia.co.uk was awaiting a response from the BBC.
with thanks : source : BizAsia.co.uk
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Source:Sikh "snub" on BBC angers Sikh organisation
Punjab is Rahul Gandhi’s political laboratory, where the Congress general secretary has chosen youthful candidates to take on the Akali Dal and BJP. Vicky Nanjappa reports from the state.
Rahul Gandhi’s message to Congressmen and women across the country is clear: In future elections youth will get preference in the party. The Congress general secretary has chosen Punjab as the role model state to introduce youth into the fray.
Seeking to bring in a more democratic procedure, Rahul first ensured that elections were held in the Punjab Youth Congress party last year. This is the first time that the president of a Youth Congress unit was elected democratically.
After the PYC poll, Rahul personally monitored the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha election from Punjab. He handpicked three candidates in their early 30s — Ravneet Singh Bittu, the late chief minister Beant Singh’s grandson and the first democratically-elected PYC president, from Anandpur Sahib; Sukhvinder Singh Danny, PYC vice-president, for Faridkot, and Vijay Inder Singla, former PYC president, for the Sangrur constituency.
Former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s 41-year-old son Raninder Singh is also in the fray from Bhatinda. Although senior Congress leaders initially kicked up a fuss about the induction of the new candidates, they have now fallen in line.
The dissent from former chief minister Rajinder Kaur Battal’s faction was perhaps the most vocal. Members of Bhattal’s group say their only problem with the youth nominees is that the selection was made in consultation with Captain Singh, Bhattal’s bitter adversary.
Vijay Inder Singla, the candidate from Sangrur, told rediff.com that no political risk is involved in the selection and the nominees have been chosen with great care.
So why has Rahul chosen Punjab as his political lab and given youth preference over experienced leaders like Ashwani Kumar and Ambika Soni?
Party sources say two factors prompted Rahul to chose Punjab for his experiment. Youth comprise almost 50 per cent of the vote in Punjab and this generation, it is felt, prefers younger candidates who can address their issues better.
Moreover, Anandpur Sahib, Faridkot and Sangrur have been dominated by party old-timers who Rahul wanted to phase out. The Congress expects to do very well in Punjab where an anti-incumbency vote against Parkash Singh Badal’s Akali Dal government is expected.
None of Rahul’s candidates are contesting from their home constituencies. Despite this, Congress sources believe the party could have won with any candidate from Anandpur Sahib, Faridkot and Sangrur.
Singla says the moment for youth has never been better in Punjab and Rahul’s experiment will boost the Congress’s chances. The youth factor, he adds, will ensure a Congress victory in all 13 seats in the state.
with thanks : source : http://election.rediff.com/special/2009/may/06/loksabhapolls-inside-rahul-gandhis-youth-laboratory.htm
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Source:Why Punjab is Rahul's political lab
Cllr Joginder Bal has become the Mayor for Slough; he is joined by another Sikh Cllr Jagjit Singh as the Deputy Mayor
The announcement was made at annual general meeting of Slough Borough Council at Slough Town Hall.
Cllr Joginder Singh is a grandfather and a dad-of-four, he was the former deputy mayor, took over from Cllr Raja Zarait. He was elected as a councillor for the Farnham ward in 2001 and is now the fifth Sikh mayor for the town.
He managed to beat of stiff competition by Cllr Brian Hetwitt who was also nominated for the role by the BILLD and Tory councilors.
After being sworn into the role with the help of council chief executive Ruth Bagley, Cllr Bal said: “I got into politics to serve people and not for personal satisfaction. I will promote Slough wherever I go.”
Cllr Bal hit the headlines last year after he was attacked with a cross bow outside his home in Northampton Avenue.
He was hospitalised for a few days but recovered and returned to his job as a taxi driver.
with thanks : source : http://www.emgonline.co.uk/news.php?news=5134
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Source:Slough crowns Sikh Mayor and Sikh Deputy Mayor
Newbury’s first ethnic minority mayor swears oath of office during civic cermony at The Corn Exchange
NEWBURY’S first ethnic minority mayor addressed the public during his official mayor-making ceremony on Sunday (17).
In a speech delivered to more than 100 local residents at The Corn Exchange, Kuldip Singh Kang said he was pleased to have the honour and privilege of being appointed his post.
After leading the procession of councillors through heavy rain from the town hall, outgoing mayor Phil Barnett recounted some of the 294 events he had attended over the past year.
These included the recent 1940s fundraising concert at Newbury Racecourse, visiting five of Newbury’s twin towns, meeting the Queen at Vodafone, attending 300 birthday parties and travelling in a horse drawn carriage through Northbrook Street on National Bereavement Day.
He said that he had given up 1450 hours of his time and travelled over 4,400 miles as mayor.
Nominating the new mayor, town councillor Adrian Edwards said that he had known Mr Singh Kang for 20 years, since he bought the Fifth Road store and post office after moving to the town from Slough.
Mr Edwards had then helped Mr Singh Kang to stand for election to the town council two years ago, as a Conservative candidate for Falkland ward.
Mr Singh Kang said that during his year as mayor, he would support local charities and help St George’s Church at Wash Common explore the possibility of becoming carbon neutral.
He thanked his wife of 29 years, his parents, two brothers, his sister, and his three grandchildren for supporting him at the ceremony. While he will practice his Sikh faith, he will continue the mayoral tradition of having a church chaplain, and the ceremony was followed by a civic service in St Nicolas’ Church.
“I am very pleased to be standing here today supported by four generations of my family,” he said.
Former town council leader Ian Grose was appointed deputy mayor.
During the ceremony, town marshal Dave Stubbs and town crier Brian Sylvester were awarded medals for 10 years of service to Newbury Town Council.
with thanks : source : http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/News/Article.aspx?articleID=10056
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Source:First Sikh mayor sworn in
with thanks : source : youtube
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Source:Influencing people towards Sikhism