Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately clear the compensation announced for the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims. In a letter to Modi, Sukhbir said the disappointment and resentment among the community members was palpable.
A government spokesperson said Sukhbir pointed out that a lot of ground had to be covered to ensure justice to the victims. The letter stated that the announcement of compensation was treated as the first concrete and meaningful step to apply balm on the community’s wounds 30 years after the pogrom.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the recent developments had given the impression that the Centre was yet to take a decision on awarding Rs 5 lakh each as compensation to the victims, as announced on October 30, and that the move appeared to be at proposal stage only.
“I would like to draw your attention to the confusion created amongst the Sikh community members on this issue. You would recall that immense goodwill had been generated for the NDA government after the announcement that the Centre would award compensation to the massacre victims,” he wrote.
The spokesperson said Sukhbir also highlighted the need for comprehensive justice on the issue and stressed that exemplary punishment should be awarded to those responsible for the riots. He said an inquiry commission led by a Supreme Court judge should be formed to go into the conspiracy behind the killings and old cases should be reopened. He also demanded registration of FIRs in cases where these were not registered due to official apathy.
