SC notice to Centre on petition for compensation to martyrs

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI)The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Union government and state of Goa on a petition seeking directions to the respondents to pay compensation to the descendants of the martyrs of Nicobar and Andaman and Daman and Diu who were killed by Japanese army during the war in 1942 when Goa was under the rule of Japan for three and a half years.

A bench comprising Justices Tarun Chatterjee and Dalveeer Bhandari issued notices after hearing counsel for the petitioner organisation namely Homfraygunj Martyrs Memorial Committee seeking compensation for the rehabilitation of the descendants of over 650 martyrs who were killed by the Japanese army.

The petitioner has pleaded that the Committee has been writing to the Union government under the impression that Japanese government had paid compensation to the Union government.

The family members of the victims including the children were orphaned due to the action of Japanese army and have suffered a lot and have not been compensated and no efforts have been made by the Indian government to rehabilitate the descendants of the martyrs of Andaman and Nicobar island, according to the Committee.

UNI