PK Jaiswar
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, December 12
Despite assurances by the consecutive state as well as the Central governments, the victims who lost their earning members, near and dear ones during heydays of terrorism were waiting for suitable compensation on the lines of 1984 riot victims.
The All India Terrorist Victims’ Association (AITVA) recently met Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai and reiterated their demands.The association said for the past three decades the association members had been running from pillar to post contacting who’s who in the government at Centre and state-levels but have failed to get any relief so far.
Dr BR Hastir, chairman, AITVA, said the Union Minister of State had responded positively and assured all possible action in this regard.
He said in January this year under secretary to the Government of India had pointed out that the matter was subjudice in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
He said in the recent meeting they had clarified to the minister in written reply that the matter pertained to 331 families living in refugee camp of Pathankot, but there were 32,000 families and some of them urgently needed compensation for rehabilitation and they should not be deprived of the same. He said the Central Government could give compensation directly in the accounts of deputy commissioners who would further dispense the same after proper verification. He said the minister had forwarded their reply to the authorities concerned for further necessary action.
In 2006, the Punjab chief minister forwarded a proposal for the compensation to the Ministry of Home Affairs and subsequent DOs were sent in 2009, 2011 and 2014 to the Prime Minister for the relief package to the terrorism-hit families in Punjab on the pattern of anti-Sikh riot victims. The Central Government later accepted the proposal which is pending with the Home Ministry.
The association has demanded Rs8.50 lakh compensation per family killed by militants in Punjab on the pattern of riot-hit victims, besides Rs5 lakh for those families who migrated from their native places due to terrorism. Similarly, they demanded Rs2.50 lakh relief to the injured by terrorists and pension of Rs 5,000-10,000 per month for the victim families.
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