Acknowledgements and dedication;

Acknowledgements and dedication;

I dedicate this book to the people and the state of Punjab.

I acknowledge special thanks to my mother Mrs Satya Raj, who despite being in a very advanced age, permitted me to go ahead with my conviction and resolve to devote remainder of my life for ‘the cause of Punjab and the fight against drugs’, knowing very well that I will either die or suffer adversely in the process, because people I am fighting against are powerful and ruthless drug barons. They are all over, not only in Punjab or India but abroad as well, because India, despite itself, being high on drugs, remains an important 'drug corridor' as well.

And the list of drug barons of Punjab is almost a 'politico-socio-administrative' who is who of the state, whose names even the children are aware of and who are all set and determined to destroy this holy land of out great Gurus, saints and peers.

 My thanks to my father Late Mr. Prithvi Raj, who along with my mother, gave me such a great value system on account of which I am determined, against all odds, to take these drug smugglers by their neck. My parents made me fearless and taught me to bow my head only in front of the god.

I also emotionally and sincerely thank my wife, Rita and children Apurv, Aparna, Zoey & Varuna (hey, I am saying my thanks, phase wise, and in the sequence in which each of you all came in to my life and made it worth living. So do not fight or get crossed with me as to whose name, in the sequence given above, comes first and whose last, lolz). They all stood by me, like a rock, all along, and given me strength, courage and encouragement without complaining that I could not give enough time to any of them. And my special thanks, as well, to them for having permitted me to dedicate and even sacrifice my life for the cause.

My thanks to all my friends who helped me in the study, field visits and in talking to the sources, Thanks to them for having stood by me during my visits to ‘risky’ areas of Punjab, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Goa and Mumbai etc.

My extra special thanks to those of my innumerable friends; who left me in the lurch and deserted me for various reasons, including fear of reprisals from the government of the day.

I also acknowledge the basic help that I took from the internet in procuring certain data, pictures and some maps.

...Shashi Kant

P.S.

...And I must admit that I have also used information procured from various sources, including friends and documents of some intelligence and investigating agencies of India. I understand the inability of such of my friends in not having been able to part with some documents. I know, my friends that you could not have done it, and that is why I did not insist either. You trusted me so I could not stab you in the back by clandestinely making copies of certain documents which you all trusted me with. Time will prove it that you did it in the ultimate national interest. God bless.

And by way of an uncalled for clarification to such of my critics, who love to condemn me for my stand on Sant Bhindaranwale. Let me make it clear once and for all that I knew the Sant closely, for about three years that is from 1980 to 1983. It started with a general chance introduction and led to a full-fledged bond lasting those three years. Issues which struck the cord were the god and Waheguru’s ‘desire’, followed by common belief on issues like opposition to drugs and social evils. We both had an ‘activist’s zeal’ and the fact that being June born, both of us were sensitive, emotional and true to our convictions. Differences in our religion and political ideologies were perhaps too mundane an issue to have weakened that bond. I have no hesitation in admitting my admiration for his commitment for the social and religious causes that he stood for. I gradually started losing track of things when, in 1982, I was unceremoniously booted out of Punjab by late Darbara Singh, the then Chief Minister of Punjab. As such I am not aware of the pressures and circumstances that were to be at work later.

He was the real and greatest of anti intoxicant crusaders that I can ever think of.

I have nothing to do with his political ideology, but I do admire him, on account of the social values and anti drug / social issues that he stood for...

...Shashi Kant