Victims of ’84 Riots Claim Government Relief Too Little, Too Late

August 11, 2005

Source: The India Tribune

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050812/punjab1.htm

On August 11, 2005 The India Tribune reported, "Various relief and rehabilitation measures taken by the Punjab Government for over 27000 Sikh families who came to the state following the anti-Sikh riots have got caught in the quagmire of changing political leadership. While some of the relief schemes announced by the then Chief Minister Surjit Singh Barnala, immediately following the riots, were implemented, many decisions taken by successive governments have remained only on paper. As a result, for the victims, government relief has been either too little or an endless wait. Out of the 23000 families who registered themselves with the Deputy Commissioners across Punjab, about 12,500 families in Ludhiana, 3,500 at Mohali, 2,500 in Amritsar and 1300 at Pathankot were rehabilitated, claims the Punjab Government... 'The Barnala government had come up with a comprehensive relief and resettlement plan. But it was implemented only in parts,' pointed out Mr Manohar Singh, general secretary, 1984 Sikh Massacre Affected Welfare Society, Punjab, adding that whatever the Badal government proposed to do for the victims had not been implemented by the current government."