1984 riot victims protest demanding increased compensation

New Delhi, May 14: Victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots today staged a protest at Jantar Mantar here demanding increased compensation from the Centre and Delhi government.

A peace march was taken out by the protestors, including dozens of women who were widowed in the riots, from Gurdwara Bangla Sahib to Jantar Mantar.

The government had announced additional compensation of Rs 5 lakh to the victims and in December last year the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had distributed cheques to 17 affected families, said Atma Singh Lubana, head of Victims of 1984 Anti Sikh Riots Society.

Later, 2,500 other victims submitted their forms but they were yet to receive the increased compensation, he said. A delegation led by Lubana later met the Home Ministry officials to submit their memorandum pointing that "Delhi government was not paying them increased compensation on the pretext that they had no budget for it".

"The officials assured us that Home Ministry will write to the Delhi government for expediting payment of compensation," Lubana said.

PTI