The Poisoned Generation- Drug Terror of Punjab

“Fauja Singh, 103, who holds the world record for marathon in his age group, has been selected for British Empire Medal as part of New Year Honours. Fauja, who completed his last competitive 26-mile race in Hong Kong last year, will receive the award in recognition for his athletic achievements.”

Reading this newspaper report last week & feeling proud for Punjabi ‘Turbanned Tornado’ who even featured in an Adidas advertisement in 2004 with David Beckham and Mohd. Ali, I received a phone call bringing news of demise of a childhood friend due to drug overdose. Death of a newly married, 29 years old friend would shock even the most stone hearted person. Albeit sad , I wasn’t shocked!

One is destined to die that way if he choses heroine over his meals.

Charas (cannabis), Ganja(Marijuana), Afeem, Heroine have became part of Punjab’s lifestyle. Heroine is bought from Afghanistan at Rs 1 lakh/kg. Passing through Pakistan it is smuggled into Punjab and sold for Rs 30 lakh a kg. From Punjab it is sold to the rest of the country. Having the most unfortunate tag of being one of the highest per capita consumer of liquor, Punjab is now going through a hurricane of drugs which has claimed lives in epic proportions in the granary of India.

Village Of Widows

Maqboolpura, a village near the Golden City Amritsar is now famous as village of widows where at least one man from each house has given up to this diabolical monster. Amritsar and Tarn taran districts are the worst affected. Many more villages await the same fate in the land of saints where liquor shops outnumber public schools.

The Sixth River

The land of five rivers-Panj(5) & Aab(water)- now has one more river on its land but that’s nothing to be cheerful for. This sixth overflowing river is of Drugs is flooding the generation. And it has left no one untouched- college & school children, kabaddi players, police personal, national boxers, politicians. Some as victims and some as smugglers.

75% of Punjabi youth is drug addict as per Punjab govt.’s admission to Punjab & Haryana High Court. The drug business is worth thousands of crores and ever growing. When the policy makers in New Delhi formulate strategies for reaping Demographic Dividend, I wish these unfortunate boys and girls get a fraction of their thought. They need support, strength and a strategy to come out of that part of society where they are treated as useless, hopeless & wasted burden.

3/4^th of youth of a state get addicted and drugs reach the remotest corner without any agency smelling any foul. Is it a normal failure of governance? The extent of drug menace makes one wonder if  anyone is checking this at all.

Agencies involved to keep vigil

BSF, Directorate of Narcotics Intelligence, Narcotics Control Bureau, Intelligence bureau, Punjab Police are all behind the drug traders, dealers, consumers. Isn’t it intriguing that nothing has worked out so far? What makes them all helpless fence sitters while more & more are dying? DSPs & Cabinet ministers’ names are being dragged in investigations of drug smuggling. “Who will guard the guards ?”

Punjab is known for creating new highs and records. Yet another was an unprecedented phenomenon of distribution of drugs for votes in 2009 assembly elections. A bewildered and amazed Chief Election Commissioner revealed that he has seen liquor distribution in many elections but this was for him a “unique phenomenon in any elections”. Prisons in the state are instead of being the correctional homes, working as safe havens for drug users. You see such news every second day in local newspapers. Amidst such events even the most optimistic person will yield ground. UN Office on Drugs & Crime warns about the alarming levels of drug use in Punjab posing danger to a whole generation.

Many pharmacies offer synthetic versions of expensive drugs for those who can’t afford genuine versions. The illegal drugs industry has modified itself according to the needs of market and all this under the nose of the best agencies of country. If you still can’t afford synthetic ones, the jugaad comes in. Petrol, Iodex or even lizards serve the purpose. That is the desperation of addicts causing immensely horrible health consequences and sudden death.

Drugs in Punjab has become immensely complex problem requiring immensely innovative solutions. For civil society, teachers, social activists, legislators, religious leaders, students & each & every Punjabi & Indian and for PUNJAB…. It is Do or Die!!!

Raping Humanity while protecting faith

On 30^th anniversary of the Sikh pogrom which followed the assassination of Indira Gandhi, stories of murders, rapes, pyres of burning bodies, fathers & husbands being torched in front of their kids and wives resurface in the memories of Indians. The punishment was meant for an act which these more than 3000 Sikhs never committed. The only feeling that pains me is the thought and dilemma that…

What kind of Hindus are those who justify Sikhs being burnt and raped for no fault of theirs !

What kind of Sikhs are those who justify Hindus being separated from buses in Punjab to be shot at in front of their families for the reason that they don’t share the same religion with the murderers !

What kind of Muslims are those who feel pained at their co religionists being killed in riots but than justify Kashmiri Pandits being thrown out of their houses from Kashmir!

What faith are we protecting by professing all religions but inhumanity ? To me the only religion these chauvinists & hate mongers belong to is Brainlessness. How else can these people be fooled by politicians to do all the acts that disgrace the humanity?

We still keep arguing the superiority of one faith over the other. The only way to have a better world is to change our first religion from Hinduism, Sikhism, Christianity & Islam to ‘Humanity’ and place our gods after humans.

I wish we can see those who led those mobs in 1984 in Delhi & other places spend the last days of their lives in Jails. 

Dowry : Taken with Pride..What is that Car doing there ?

Punjabis are known for their extravagance & lavishness and when it comes to celebrations, money flows like water in Sutlej. This very quality has been showcased by many bollywood movies, as in Vicky Donor where initially the South Indians feel irked by the loudness and unnecessary (for them) craziness of North Indians but at the end find themselves dancing to the tunes of Punjabi songs. Punjabis watching the movie feel extremely happy for they are proud of their loudness ( & they won over the south Indians with their 3 Ds – Dance, Daaru (Whisky) & Dhol). In contrast to what Mr Modi offers with his 3 Ds, unfortunately but proudly Punjab has a different set of Ds to offer.

Coming to a specific quality of Punjabi marriages. Any one going to a marriage has a question in his mind – Gaddi kehri ditti hai ? ( Which Car has been gifted ). You will than find a decorated car at the entrance flying in the face of all social campaigns advocating women empowerment and equality between sexes.

And cars…. Alto, Zen, Nano are lesser citizens among cars for the prosperous state. It has to be a SUV or a Sedan and if it is a BMW or Audi, it is a gift worth praising. Social status is something which is driving this state into all wrong deeds including the lucrative drug smuggling.

The most amazing thing about these marriages is the silent agreement between everyone who is part of the celebrations. You ask them ,”Isn’t it dowry?”, even a child knows the answer “it’s a gift ,not dowry”. One is bound to wonder that why is  such an expensive gift being given by the girl’s family to the bridegroom and not the other way. The ever ready answer is ,” Gaddi tan kudi nu hi milni hai” (Ultimately the girl will receive the car). Such a unanimous sentiment displays how an organised crime is carried out with perfection. And the legislators presumed that they ended this custom, which is said to be one of many causes of the skewed sex ration in North India, the day they passed the law in the Temples of Democracy. What a tragic joke!!!

The sex ratio of Punjab is plunging with every new census warning the state to be ready for what neighbouring state Haryana is facing. No girls, No marriages and finally this gift concept reverses. Now Haryanvi Boys are ready to pay to find a girl to marry, yet many remain unmarried. Even kidnapping and buying girls is not rare these days. It is a gift which is given to younger generations by the elders in return of dowry they (gave and) received. These ‘Missing girls’ are probably going to places like Kerala in these big ‘gifted’ cars where they find a better social place and dignified life.

But such is this proud & boastful community that they will commit a crime (may be sin) and show off to the world, declaring “Yes we take dowry, do whatever you can”. What else is that car at the marriage resort standing for ?

Shutting the debate on feminism with a message to guests , “Continue the tradition.”