Amritsar, Oct 17 (PTI) SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami on Saturday said a portrait of anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who was killed by a medical store owner in Mansa on October 13, will be displayed at the Central Sikh Museum located within the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.
The initiative would serve as a symbol of remembrance of Jhota’s struggle against drugs and his commitment to saving Punjab’s youth, said Dhami, who met the slain anti-drug crusader’s family on Friday.
The Sikh community will always remember the sacrifice of Jhota, who lost his life while fighting to save Punjab’s youth from the deadly grip of drugs, Dhami said in a statement.
Carrying forward the struggle he launched against drugs and for protecting the younger generation from substance abuse is the crucial need of the time, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president said.
“Jhota’s portrait will be displayed at the Central Sikh Museum within the Sri Harmandar Sahib complex. The courage and commitment of young people who contribute to movements against drugs cannot be overlooked,” he said.
Assuring the family of the SGPC’s support during this difficult time, Dhami said the Sikh body stood firmly with them and would honour any request made by the family.
“Sikh institutions have a duty to stand by families in such circumstances. They are not alone,” he said.
The SGPC president also inquired about the health of the four men who were injured alongside Jhota, and announced that the SGPC would provide financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh to each of them.
On Friday, Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj had accorded the status of martyr of the Sikh community to Jhota.
Known for raising his voice against the illegal sale of addictive substances at chemist shops, Jhota was shot in broad daylight inside a medical store at a busy marketplace in Mansa on Tuesday.
Ashwani Kumar, the store owner who opened fire on Jhota after he questioned him for selling addictive drugs to an elderly man, was taken into custody from Salasar in Rajasthan.
The incident, which took place while Jhota was hosting a Facebook Live, triggered a political slugfest in Punjab, which goes to polls early next year. PTI CHS ARI
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