Chandigarh – Senior Congress leader and Bholath MLA, Sukhpal Singh Khaira,today strongly condemned the shocking and heart-wrenching incident in Hoshiarpur, where a 5-year-old boy was brutally raped and murdered by a migrant labourer. Calling it a blot on humanity and a grim reflection of the deteriorating law and order situation in Punjab, Khaira expressed his deep anguish and extended his heartfelt condolences to the grieving family.
Khaira said that such barbaric crimes also highlight the urgent need to address the unchecked inflow and settlement of non-Punjabis in Punjab, which is causing a serious demographic imbalance in the state.
He said Punjab urgently requires a law similar to those in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which bar outsiders from becoming landowners, voters, or acquiring government jobs. “Only such protective laws can safeguard the unique identity, culture, and rights of Punjabis in their own homeland,” he added.
Highlighting his consistent efforts on this issue, Khaira reminded that he had already submitted a Private Member Bill to the Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in January 2023, seeking such legal safeguards for Punjab. He demanded that the AAP government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann immediately introduce and pass this Bill without further delay, to prevent Punjab’s identity from being diluted.
Khaira warned that if timely measures are not taken, Punjab will face irreparable damage to its socio-cultural and political fabric. He vowed to continue raising his voice inside and outside the Vidhan Sabha to ensure justice for the victim in Hoshiarpur and protection of Punjab’s long term interests.