SAD demands compensation for armymen killed in 1984 riots

Patiala, May 20 (UNI) The ex-servicemen wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today demanded that the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandik Committee (SGPC) should give compensation to the families of Sikh army personnel who were killed during the anti-sikh riots in 1984.

This demand was made by the ex-servicemen wing secretary Gen Col (retd) Partap Inder Singh Phulka while reacting to the decision of the SGPC to give one time financial assistance to the Sikh soldiers who had deserted the Indian Army during 'Operation Bluestar' in June 1984.

The SGPC has sought applications for one time financial assistance to the tune of Rs 50,000 per family from all the Sikh soldiers.

Mr Phulka said though the exact number of those killed was not known, but he had located 50 such families. Those who lost their lives were either going home or were returning to their respective units, he added while claiming that this number could be around 300.

He said that even the Nanawati Commission and other commissions that had inquired into the November 1984 anti-Sikh riots had mentioned such deaths in their respective reports. Even Sikh army officers in uniform were pulled out of trains and killed by unruly mobs, he added.

He said those families had not even received financial grant given to the riot-hit under the red card scheme of the government.

In fact, no one came forward to help those families, he added.

UNI XC HS GL NS1853