Riot victims to agitate in front of PM's house for compensation

Chandigarh, Apr 11: Nearly 1100 claimants, who were denied compensation for the anti-Sikh carnage that took pace 21 years ago, today threatened an agitation in front of the Prime Minister's residence in case they would not be given the monetary compensation as announced by the Centre.

These 1100 were among the 4300 applicants whose forms were not entertained by the state government authorities for a compensation of Rs two lakh to each of the riot victims as announced by the Union government last week, Ludhiana-based 'Danga Peerit Welfare Society' president Surjit Singh said.

Besides these 1100, the forms of a few hundred other claimants were also rejected by the authorities, he said, adding all of them possessed valid documents like the red cards and the residential proofs for the claim.

''We will hold agitation in front of the Prime Minister's office where we can even immolate ourselves,'' he said.

Accompanied by some of the riot victims now settled in Ludhiana at the press conference here, Mr Surjit Singh said it was pathetic that they were not compensated even after 21 years of the carnage in Delhi and elsewhere. Several of these claimants had lost their kin then, he added.

He expressed dismay against Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, saying the Punjab government was being indifferent towards them.

UNI