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Crime, law and justice
Have evidence to expose Opposition's politics: Punjab minister on labourer's suicide
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said he had evidence to counter the Opposition's allegations in labourer Gulzar Singh's suicide case. The row widened after Gulzar's family alleged pressure from officials over conducting his last rites.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday claimed he had evidence to counter the Opposition's allegations in the death of labourer Gulzar Singh, who died by suicide after raising the issue of drug sales before him. “I have all the evidence. An investigation is ongoing in this case. When the time comes, I will bring all the evidence of how this Opposition is playing politics over bodies in this case,” Cheema said.
Gulzar Singh, a resident of Tur Banjara village in Sangrur district, died on September 7 after consuming poison. His family alleged that he was harassed and subjected to casteist slurs after questioning Cheema about the supply of drugs in the area at a development programme a day earlier.
According to the allegations, Gulzar told Cheema about the open sale of drugs and said his son was addicted to 'chitta', a term commonly used in Punjab for heroin.
His family and some villagers alleged that members of the village panchayat subsequently pressured Gulzar to apologise for raising the issue before the minister. They claimed the pressure left him distressed, following which he consumed the poisonous substance.
However, the sarpanch's side has rejected the allegations of threatening or pressuring Gulzar to apologise.
The Opposition parties – Congress and BJP – have targeted AAP, claiming that more people have fallen victim to drugs in Punjab in the past four years. The allegations assume significance as AAP, which only has Punjab in its kitty, aims to retain the state in next year's Assembly polls.
The suicide case took another turn after Gulzar's family alleged that the administration pressured his son and other relatives to conduct his last rites.
In a video released by the family, they claimed they were not allowed to complete the funeral proceedings according to their wishes.
The family said it would not perform the customary rituals of collecting Gulzar's ashes or hold the subsequent bhog ceremony until they get justice.
