Delayed justice in 1984 Sikh riot cases: National Commission for Minorities issues notice to 9 states

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 29

Thirty-seven years after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the National Commission for Minorities on Friday issued notices to nine states over delay in grant of compensation and justice to the victims and their families.

Taking cognizance of several representations made to the Commission with respect to laxity on part of state governments to compensate victim families and bring the perpetrators of riots to justice, NCM Chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura today issued notices to Delhi, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh asking them to present a report providing information and details to the Commission regarding compensation provided to victim families so far and action taken against criminals in every recorded case of the riot.

“The 1984 anti Sikh riots is a dark spot in the country’s history wherein thousands of innocent persons belonging to the Sikh community were brutally massacred, dislocated and harassed, physically, emotionally and also destroyed economically. Though several relief packages were announced by the Government of India and the state governments there are many instances where the relief measures announced have not reached those families. Despite the passage of 37 years since the riots that began on October 31, 1984, the cases are still lingering,” the NCM said in its notice to the states.