Bihar: Compensation for victims of anti-Sikh riots

Patna, Apr 10: The Bihar government has distributed compensation of Rs 45 lakhs, under the recomendations of Nanavati Commission, among 35 victims of anti-Sikh riots that rocked the nation after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Ganhdi in 1984.

While distributing the cheques yesterday, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi dubbed the 1984 riots as a black episode in the history of the country. He said the violence against the Sikh community during the riot was deplorable and inhuman.

This was the second phase of the rehabilitation package as under the first phase, 55 victim families were given Rs 99 lakhs compensation in Novmeber 2007.

Mr Modi directed the officials to dispose-off the pending applications seeking compensation and asked the District Magistrate to complete the investigation so that the riot victims should get the compensation.

Mr Modi said that states atmosphere had changed and the state government was committed to development of the society at large.

He acknowledged the hardships faced by the victims and said that the community had contributed a lot to the development of the state and appealed them to come back to their own state and cooperate in its development.

It may be recalled that Nanavati commission was constituted in 2000, when the NDA government was in power at the Centre. The Commission had submitted its report in 2005. After taking details of the victims, the Bihar government had aproved 108 petitions of the riot victims, he informed.

The Minister also requested the central government to announce special compensation for the riot victims of Bhagalpur. He said the state government was paying Rs 2,500 monthly to the victims, who had lost their family members in Bhagalpur riot in 1989.

UNI