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Committees to provide relief to anti-Sikh riot victims

     New Delhi: The Centre today formed two separate committees to monitor the relief and rehabilitation of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The first Committee headed by K P Singh, Special Secretary in the Home Ministry, will look into the adequacy and uniformity of compensation given to the families of those killed in the riots, said Home Secretary V K Duggal. It will comprise Secretaries in charge of relief in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Chattishgarh and representatives of the Finance Ministry. The second committee will deal with providing additional livelihood support and employment, said Duggal. On August 11, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had announced the setting up of two committees to ensure due compensation to '84 riots victims. He had assured the Parliament after the tabling of the Nanavati Commision report that the Committees would sort out all issues with regard to compensation to victims within one or two months. Admitting that compensation provided in some states was not adequate, he had said the Government without any discrimination would ensure that other victims got compensation on par with those in Delhi.

Centre promises relief for Sikh riots victims within two months (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Centre today announced that it would have ready in two months an action plan to address grievances of the 1984 Sikh riots victims as furore over a controversial enquiry report forced the Government to take strong actions. "The recommendations with a time bound implementation plan must be put forward by this committee after taking into consideration all aspects, everything to be taken on account within a period of two months and that there will be no extensions allowed for this," V.K Duggal, interior secretary, said. The probe findings of former Justice G.T Nanavati tabled in Parliament last week, slammed the Police and Government agencies for tardy investigation, poor relief distribution and implicated two Congress party leaders for riots two decades ago that killed nearly 3,000 Sikhs and were blamed on the Congress. The UPA Government on Saturday constituted two official committees to implement assurances given by it in Parliament with regard to payment of compensation and other kinds of relief to victims of anti-Sikh riots. The reprisal attacks on Sikhs came after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was killed by her Sikh bodyguards in 1984. Activists put the number at about 4,000. The assassination was in revenge for Gandhi's decision to send the army to flush Sikh separatists out of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Sikhism's holiest shrine. Delhi's Sikhs and those in many cities bore the brunt of the riots, which left behind a barrage of poor widows, orphans and crippled men with little to support themselves with. The survivors who termed the riots as a bloodbath are living in ramshackle colonies and say have not received neither the monetary compensation not the jobs promised to their children. New Delhi assured them a time bound and concrete action. "It is not simply a recommendatory committee, once the recommendations have been put in place, funds shall be made available and then there will see that the proper distribution and proper implementation of the recommendation takes place," he added. Even though the Government refused legal action against its leaders claiming loose evidence, the duo, Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, had to resign as angry Sikhs took to the streets demanding justice. Eager to limit damage to his party, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh apologised to the nation making his historic speech in parliament, the first apology by a senior Congress leader in years.

Girl stabbed to death at Gateway of India in Mumbai (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Some unidentified persons today attacked two girls with knives at the Gateway of India in Mumbai, resulting in the death of one. The other girl is reportedly in a critical condition and has been hospitalised. So far, the Police have arrested one person in connection with the crime. Sources said that investigation has started. Earlier, the girls were considered to be foreigners, but were later identified as Manipuris.

Security beefed up ahead of the Independence Day (Go To Top)

     Srinagar/ New Delhi: Security forces have thrown a security blanket across major cities in the country ahead of the 59th Independence Day celebrations on August 15. Police and paramilitary forces could be seen patrolling the streets of Srinagar, following a recent spurt in violence in the valley. HK Lohia, Deputy Inspector General of Police, said the area in the periphery of almost two kilometers from the main venue Bakshi stadium has been cordoned off and civilian movement has been restricted in the area. "As far as the security arrangements are concerned we want least inconvenience to the people. So we have only cordoned off the area around the stadium, main venue. Rest there is nothing to worry about. But out of the two lane road outside the stadium, one has been closed for public," said Lohia. Security has also been tightened in national capital New Delhi at the strategic Red Fort, from where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make his annual speech on the Independence Day. Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure all night trains bound for Assam have been cancelled till August 15. Railway officials have set up pickets at the railway stations after reports of militant attacks. "Tight security measures have been taken by us and we installed one at the entrance. We have got metal detectors. And also brought sniffer dogs for checking," said RT. Rabha, Chief public relations officer, Northeast Frontier Railways. Several militant groups have called for a boycott of the independence celebrations, saying it was a black day. Policemen have taken up patrolling of the important places in Lucknow also.

Militants kill five people in J-K (Go To Top)

     Jammu: Some unidentified militants opened fire on a family in Jammu and Kashmir, killing five people and wounding nine others, police said today. Police said the shooting took place late on Friday near Chargu, a remote village 65 km (45 miles) east of Jammu. "These were members of Village Defence Council. They attacked the village yesterday at 10 o' clock (local time). Out of the five killed, three were members of the VDC and other two were their relatives," said S.P.Vaid, Inspector General of Police, Jammu. Security agencies have organised groups of villagers in remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir into village defence committees and provided them arms and training to protect themselves against militant attacks. The nine injured have been shifted by helicopter to Jammu for treatment. "At around 9 p.m. militants opened indiscriminate firing and killed five of our villagers. Out of the nine injured, five are serious," said Naseeb Singh, an eyewitness. Meanwhile, a contingent of security forces has been rushed to the village to nab the militants. Security has been tightened in the State ahead of Aug. 15 Independence Day celebrations.

EC bans use of lanterns during forthcoming Bihar elections (Go To Top)

     Patna: In its effort to prohibit political parties from gaining undue advantage, the Election Commission (EC) has banned the use of lanterns by poll duty officials during the forthcoming Assembly polls in Bihar. Hurricane lantern is the poll symbol of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). But lighting at the electoral offices would be provided by alternative means where electricity is not available. "The alternative of lanterns will be lamps. As election will be held in schools mostly, we can put-up solar lights in all these schools. We will work it out for the alternatives," said G S Kang, Chief Secretary. Ordering the State Government to make lighting arrangements at all polling booths, the EC officials said under no circumstances lanterns should be used as a mean to provide light where electricity is yet to arrive. On the other hand, incensed at the Election Commission's decision to ban the use of lanterns at polling offices and booths, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders blasted the Commission calling its decision biased. "They can use the generators or petromax on the expenditure of government, then who will use the lanterns? Bicycles will be used during election time, so should cycles be banned too? Poll staff will work with hands and computers so should there be a ban on hands also. We have demanded that the the signals from Election Commission should be right. There should not be different sets of rule for Bihar, Jharkhand and Delhi," said Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Bihar RJD President. Besides singling out lanterns, the EC also directed the officials not to use any other item at the polling offices or booths that are symbols of other political parties in the state. The EC further directed the administration to ensure all polling booths were disable-friendly with provision for ramps and wheelchairs and help for those with serious vision problems. Meanwhile, the administration is busy compiling the list of those officials who have had prior brush with the law. Those who are facing any kind of charge and those who have been posted at the same place for over three years have been directed to be removed or transferred before the upcoming Assembly elections.

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