Amritsar: Akal Takht officiating jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj has urged youngsters not to sell their land or ancestral property to finance their dreams of settling abroad, saying migration should not come at the cost of losing their roots.Interacting with youths from Punjab and Haryana in Southall, UK, Gargajj said many of them had expressed a desire to return to India after sharing the hardships they faced abroad.The interaction, organised by United Sikhs at Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Southall, saw several youths claim they had been duped by immigration agents who charged them lakhs of rupees and sent them to the UK through illegal or unauthorised routes.The youths said the financial burden had pushed their families into distress and that the lack of valid documents or legal visas had left them with few employment opportunities and an uncertain future.United Sikhs representative Bibi Narpinder Kaur said the organisation runs a weekly help desk at the gurdwara to assist people facing immigration and other issues. She said it also helps those wishing to return to India by coordinating with the UK and Indian governments for voluntary repatriation.Gargajj appreciated the services being provided by United Sikhs and urged the youths to return home, work hard and live according to Gurmat (Guru’s teachings). He also called on governments to create more employment opportunities in India so that young people are not forced to migrate in search of livelihoods.
