On basis of findings of report submitted by committee headed by PWD minister Shivpal Yadav, state government announced to give Rs 5 lakh further financial assistance to over 1,800 displaced Muslim families in riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar and Shamli districts.
The money will be given for rehabilitation to those families which are living in relief campus and have refused to go back to their native villages out of fear despite numerous efforts made by the district administration. The move will cost an estimated Rs 90 crore to the state exchequer.
In a official communiqué of the State government released of Sunday evening, officials said Rs 5 lakh financial assistance is being given to allow families the freedom to settle anywhere they want. The decision has been taken after looking into the report submitted by the 10-member committee comprising ministers and headed by Public
Works Department minister Shivpal Yadav. The committe was formed on directions of SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav and sent to the riot-hit area to review relief work and rehabilitation of victims living in camps. The committee had said in its report that insecurity and distrust was preventing people in relief camps to return home. State government had also sought recommendations from the administrations of the two districts on what can be done to redress the victims' grievances. It may be also mentioned that the Committee even said to have informed the government that many of the relief camps were also continued as some persons operating it in madarsas did not wanted to get it closed just as they were making benefits out of huge grant sanctioned by the state government to run those relief camps. The report said that more than 1,800 families of six villages in Muzaffarnagar and three in
Shamli had refused to go back fearing for their lives and having no means to sustain. They fled from their villages during riots after their houses were looted and set afire.
Many families have lost their dear ones in the violence. The families said the environment of hostility persists in their villages and it would be difficult for them to live where their men were killed and women raped. The maximum number, 330, of such families are from Phugna village of Muzaffarnagar followed by 265 from Kakra, 205 from Kutuba, 67 from Mohammadpur Rai Singh, 58 from Kutubi and 40 from Mundbhar. Similarly, 325 from
lisadh, 276 families are from lock village and 235 from Bhavadi hamlets of Shamli were also displaced during the violence. In all, 62 persons were killed and more than 60,000 families displaced in the worst even communal riots in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli. State government besides other so far held three MlAs of Bharatiya Janta Party out which two were also booked under National Security Act (NSA) though the matter has been under the review of the Advisory Committee of the High Court.