39 years since 1984 riots, states yet to provide full details to minorities commission on compensation, rehabilitation

NEW DELHI: It is 39 years since the 1984 riots and despite many letters and meetings over the last two years, the 10 states, where the violence impacted Sikhs when the riots started on October 31, have failed to provide the National Commission for Minorities a complete picture on details ranging from the total victim compensation paid so far, rehabilitation measuresby way of jobs and housing and status of conviction in cases registered.While nine states have provided some information, Odisha has not provided any details so far.
According to officials, the NCM chief has been writing letters to chief ministers of all 10 states since October 2021 including four letters sent out this year itself. At a review meeting with chief secretaries of states earlier in October, NCM chief Iqbal Singh Lalpura, sought complete details without any delay and also decided to hold follow-up meetings through video conferencing every 15 days.
The NCM has also included Punjab in the list of states for follow-up on the status of rehabilitation as numerous families of victims who fled from these 10 states had relocated in Punjab for safety following the 1984 riots.
In the letter dated October 30, addressed to Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann, the NCM chief has highlighted that as far as back as 2006, the ministry of home affairs had mentioned that around 22,000 people and their families who migrated to Punjab from other riot affected states, and are still living there, would be paid rehabilitation grant at Rs 2 lakh per family.
The NCM has asked the Punjab government for a status report on the relief measures mentioned by the MHA in its letter dated January 2006 and December 2014. “How many families out of these 22,000 have been paid compensation; whether a job to one member of a family has been given and the details of housing accommodation and any other rehabilitation measures provided to survivors,” the NCM has asked.
“The 1984 anti-Sikh riots in 10 states – Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Odisha is a dark spot in the history of the country wherein thousands of innocent persons belonging to the Sikh community were brutally massacred, dislocated and harassed physically, emotionally and destroyed economically,” Lalpura states in his letter to Mann.
“Though a number of relief packages were announced by the Government of India and the state governments, there are several instances where the relief measures announced have not reached the families. Despite of 39 years having elapsed since October 31, 1984, so far these cases are still lingering,” he asserted.
All 10 states have been asked to provide the complete list of cases registered; persons including police personnel found to be involved who have been convicted, compensation paid and rehabilitation measures taken.