The BJP on Saturday demanded compensation for the family of Chamel Singh, the Indian prisoner who died in a lahore jail, and urged the Centre to ensure safety of Indian inmates lodged in Pakistani jails.
“Compensation of Rs 1 crore should be given by Jammu & Kashmir Government while Rs 25 lakh should be given by the Centre,” BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna, who is also in-charge of the J-K affairs of the party, said here.
Chamel Singh died in lahore’s Kot lakhpat jail on January 15 this year after allegedly being attacked by fellow inmates. Indian national Sarabjit Singh, too was lodged in the same jail and had also been attacked there by fellow inmates leading to his death at a hospital in lahore.
Khanna said, he had written to President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on the matter.
“I have requested that like Sarabjit Singh’s family, Chamel Singh's kin should also be given compensation. The J&K Government should also give a compensation of Rs 1 crore, like the Punjab Government in Sarabjit Singh’s case,” he said.
The Punjab BJP performed a ‘havan’ at its regional office for Chamel Singh and handed over Rs 3 lakh to Chamel’s wife Kamlesh Devi and son Dara Singh. The money had been donated by all BJP members.
“Chamel Singh’s case was brought to my notice by Satat Sharma. Thereafter, I raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha and helped in getting Chamel’s body from Pakistani jail at my own expense,” said Khanna.
He lashed at the central Government for their laxity and said that due to the media hype given to Sarabjit the Congress vice-president attended his funeral procession but at the same time Chamel was a forgotten entity.
The Centre never raised the issue of Chamel Singh, who was killed in Pakistan’s Jail after his prison term was over.
Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma said the family of Chamel Singh is very poor, so like Sarabjit’s family, his family should be given a financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh.
“Centre should also pressurise Pakistan Government to take strict action against Chamel Singh’s attackers,” he added.