Nitish reiterates for rehabilitation of Bhagalpur riot victims

Patna, Aug 29 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today reiterated his commitment to rehabilitate Bhagalpur riot victims and said every victim's family would get pension under the state government-sponsored rehabilitation programme.

Before leaving for Samastipur to review the ongoing flood relief operation in the district, Mr Kumar told newspersons at Jayprakash Narayan international airport here that the decision to give monthly pension of Rs 2500 to each victim's family of Bhagalpur riot was a gift to the minorities on the occasion of 'Shab-e-barat''.

The decision was taken on the basis of the recomendations by the Justice N N Singh Commission, constituted to probe the riot, which took place in 1989.

He said Home Commissioner Afzal Amanullah had been sent to Delhi to place the demands.

Mr Kumar said Mr Amanullah would also hold discussion with the Union Home Ministry for providing compensation package to the 1989 Bhagalpur riot victims at par with the victims of the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

Mr Kumar expressed faith that the Centre would provide similar compensation package as it had already given such package to the riot victims of Gujarat.

He said the concerned officials had been directed to prepare the list of the victims' families for monthly pension from September.

Keeping in mind the interim recommendations of the Commission, he said other benefits would also be given to them.

Meanwhile, reacting to yesterday's incident of police brutality at Bhagalpur, Mr Kumar said such act would not be tolerated and departmental action has been initiated against the guilty policemen.

He said the policemen had already been suspended with immediate effect.

Mr Kumar condemned the Opposition for unnecessarily blowing the issue out of proportion and alleged that the Opposition was trying to instigate riot by creating communal tension in Bhagalpur district.

UNI