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source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20071216/punjab1.htm#12
Sikh intellectuals to launch campaign against social evils
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 15
The World Sikh Confederation, the Institute of Sikh Studies and the Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha here today decided to launch a sustained campaign against female foeticide, use of drugs by youth, suicide by farmers and casteism issues in Punjab.
The confederation and other organisations had held a convention here today of the Sikh intellectuals, saints and others opinion leaders to enlist their views on important social issues faced by the society in the state.
At the end of the meeting, a resolution was passed to wage a war against such social evils. Pressure would also be built on the state government to discourage it from opening liquor vends in the countryside.
Jathedar of Akal Takht Joginder Singh Vedanti also attended the convention. Discrimination against certain castes in the countryside was discussed at length. The intellectuals said there was no place for casteism in Sikhism.
Deep concern was expressed over the poor condition of educational institutions in Punjab. Of the 12,972 government primary schools, 4,448 schools are without proper buildings and 8,577 government schools are without proper sitting arrangements. As many as 1,727 schools are without proper drinking water facility.
The performance of government schools in Punjab is even worse than those in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In 2006, the result of 79 government senior secondary schools was 0 per cent and of 210 only 10 per cent. There are 40 schools the result of which is 10 per cent for the past 10 years. And such a bad situation on education front has promoted evil of copying in schools.
Ragbir Singh Bains, NRI, talking about the evil of female foeticide, said if the present trend continued, there would be shortfall of 60 lakh girls in Punjab in the next 20 years. Use of drugs was three times more in Punjab compared to Haryana.
Raghbir Singh said in 1944, liquor vends were auctioned for Rs 1 crore only. And now income from liquor vends had gone up to Rs 1,649 crore.This showed the way Punjabis were guzzling the liquor.
Among those who addressed the gathering were Dr Kharak Singh, Budh Singh, Giani Harinder Singh, Bhai Ashok Singh Bagarian, Inderjit Singh Jaijee, Sant Lakhmir Singh, Sant Kashmir Singh, Manjit Singh Mangat from Canada.
Sikh intellectuals to launch campaign against social evils
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 15
The World Sikh Confederation, the Institute of Sikh Studies and the Kendri Sri Guru Singh Sabha here today decided to launch a sustained campaign against female foeticide, use of drugs by youth, suicide by farmers and casteism issues in Punjab.
The confederation and other organisations had held a convention here today of the Sikh intellectuals, saints and others opinion leaders to enlist their views on important social issues faced by the society in the state.
At the end of the meeting, a resolution was passed to wage a war against such social evils. Pressure would also be built on the state government to discourage it from opening liquor vends in the countryside.
Jathedar of Akal Takht Joginder Singh Vedanti also attended the convention. Discrimination against certain castes in the countryside was discussed at length. The intellectuals said there was no place for casteism in Sikhism.
Deep concern was expressed over the poor condition of educational institutions in Punjab. Of the 12,972 government primary schools, 4,448 schools are without proper buildings and 8,577 government schools are without proper sitting arrangements. As many as 1,727 schools are without proper drinking water facility.
The performance of government schools in Punjab is even worse than those in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In 2006, the result of 79 government senior secondary schools was 0 per cent and of 210 only 10 per cent. There are 40 schools the result of which is 10 per cent for the past 10 years. And such a bad situation on education front has promoted evil of copying in schools.
Ragbir Singh Bains, NRI, talking about the evil of female foeticide, said if the present trend continued, there would be shortfall of 60 lakh girls in Punjab in the next 20 years. Use of drugs was three times more in Punjab compared to Haryana.
Raghbir Singh said in 1944, liquor vends were auctioned for Rs 1 crore only. And now income from liquor vends had gone up to Rs 1,649 crore.This showed the way Punjabis were guzzling the liquor.
Among those who addressed the gathering were Dr Kharak Singh, Budh Singh, Giani Harinder Singh, Bhai Ashok Singh Bagarian, Inderjit Singh Jaijee, Sant Lakhmir Singh, Sant Kashmir Singh, Manjit Singh Mangat from Canada.
