The anti-Sikhs riots were triggered following the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Recently, a Sikh rights group has criticised India's decision to give Rs 5 lakh each to the next of
More than 3,000 Sikhs were killed in riots that followed Gandhi’s assassination on Oct. 31 by two of her Sikh bodyguards.
Indian Sikhs hold placards during a protest to demand justice for victims of the 1984 massacre of Sikhs following the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, in New Delhi on Friday.
Some of the riot cases are still continuing in courts and many Sikh organisations have alleged that the key conspirators of the violence were at large and victims have not yet got justice.
Out of this only Rs 517 crore were spent and the remaining Rs 200 crore could not be distributed because of dispute over claimants. The most affected were the Sikh neighborhoods in Delhi.
In 2006, the UPA government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced a package of Rs 717 crore which included monetary compensation of Rs 3.5 lakh to each killed in the riots besides financial assistance to injured and those who had lost
"There are still some accused of anti-Sikh riots who are roaming free. We have also demanded that they immediately be punished. We won’t sit silent until they are punished,” Thapar added.
“We have also come here to thank Mr Rajnath Singh for increasing the compensation. However, we demand that compensation amount be increased up to Rs 20 lakh or Rs 25 lakh,” Thapar said.
During the meeting, the victims also demanded that the pension, which is being given to them, be increased from existing Rs 2,500 to Rs 5,000.
The delegation, led by Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) national vice president Onkar Singh Thapar, met the Home Minister at his residence and put forth their demands.
A delegation of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots have urged Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to further increase the amount of compensation given to them.
On Thursday, the Modi Government had announced that Rs 5 lakh each will be given to the kin of 3325 people killed during anti-Sikh riots in 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
SFJ said it will also submit a report to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon detailing the human rights abuses and killings during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
The group said Sikhs from North America and 1984 victims and survivors would converge on the UN headquarters on November 7, on the 30th anniversary of the anti-Sikh riots.
The Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) group said the grant of the compensation cannot be a substitute to the "prosecution of 1984 genocide perpetrators".
Government has decided to give Rs five lakh each to the next of kin of 3,325 victims of the anti-Sikh riots triggered after assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.