Sukhbir Badal writes letter to PM over non implementation of compensation award for 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims

Chandigarh, November 16, 2014: Punjab Deputy chief minister and  Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has brought to the notice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that there is a sense of palpable disappointment and even resentment amongst the Sikh community as to why the compensation award for the victims of the Congress orchestrated 1984 anti Sikh riots was not implemented immediately after its announcement. 

Disclosing this here today, the Deputy CM's Media Advisor Jangveer Singh said Badal had in a letter written to the PM yesterday pointed out that a lot of ground had to be covered to ensure comprehensive justice to the 1984 victims. The letter stated the compensation award was treated as the first concrete and meaningful step to apply balm to the hurt Sikh psyche, 30 years after the well planned  riots took place. It said recent developments had however given the impression that the centre was yet to take a decision on awarding Rs five lakh each as compensation to the families of the riot victims as announced on October 30 and that the move was at a proposal stage only. 

"I would like to draw your attention to the confusion created amongst the Sikh community on this issue", Sukhbir Badal said adding "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".  

Jangveer Singh also highlighted the need for comprehensive justice on this issue and stressed that exemplary punishment should be awarded to the goons responsible for the massacre, including Congress leaders, an omnibus inquiry commission led by a Supreme Court judge should be initiated to go into the conspiracy behind the wanton killings and old cases should be reopened.  Besides this, it said, in cases where FIRs were not registered due to official apathy, the same should be registered forthright and pursued vigorously.

The Deputy CM said while these series of steps would help to provide justice to the '84 victims, the centre must implement its award announcement immediately to avoid sending a wrong signal to the Sikh community. The letter pointed out that this issue was also part of the common minimum programme of the Akali-BJP alliance during the recent Lok Sabha and earlier assembly elections in Punjab. 

Badal affirmed he was confident the NDA government ably led by Narendra Modi would take a series of singular steps including swift award of compensation to the aggrieved families to fulfil the commitment of comprehensive justice made by the SAD-BJP alliance to the victims of the carnage as well as to the people of Punjab. 

 

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