31.10.14

Families of anti-Sikh riot victims to get Rs.5 lakh each

The government has decided to give Rs.5 lakh each to the next of kin of 3,325 victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots triggered by the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The compensation to families of anti-Sikh riot victims will be given in addition to what they have so far received from the government and other agencies from time to time, sources said. The home ministry's decision comes on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the mass killings of Sikhs in retaliation against the assassination of Indira Gandhi, and is sure to be seen as the Modi government's outreach to the community ahead of November 25 assembly bypolls in Delhi.
Of the 3,325 victims, 2,733 were killed in Delhi alone while the rest were from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states. Sources claimed that home minister Rajnath Singh took the decision early last week just before the announcement of bypoll dates by Election Commission when the model code of conduct kicked in.
The code of conduct, which forbids regimes from offering inducements to the electorate after the announcement of polls, is also the reason why government has refrained from announcing the measure.
The Modi government had received several petitions from various Sikh organizations in the past three months. The fresh compensation, which will cost the exchequer Rs.166 crore, will be disbursed “as early as possible“ and hopefully in the next few weeks, an official said.

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