Union Minister of Food Processing Industries and Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Bathinda Harsimrat Badal on Thursday welcomed the Centre’s initiative to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to go into 1984 Sikh genocide cases.
Besides, she also urged the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to release Rs5 lakh compensation to the victims of the anti-Sikh riots, already declared by the Centre.
Harsimrat said that she had met Union Home Minister to press for this demand as the entire Sikh community had welcomed the appointment of Justice Mathur Committee on December 23 to examine the possibility of re-investigation of 1984 Sikh genocide besides welcoming the announcement of the compensation for victims.
“I have urged the Home Minister to expedite the implementation of this decision besides taking the next series of steps to ensure justice to the victims of the 1984 carnage and bring closure to their sufferings,” she added.
She demanded daily hearing of cases to ensure quick justice to the victims. Besides day-to-day hearing of all cases, she also demanded action against Congress leader Sajjan Kumar for his involvement in the Nangloi case.
She pointed that more than 7,000 Sikh were killed in Delhi during 1984 Sikh genocide but so far just 13 cases of murder have seen convictions. “Only 30 persons have been convicted in the past 30 years. Of these 30, almost all are now on bail or their convictions have been condoned by higher courts,” she added.
Harsimrat, wife of SAD president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and daughter-in-law of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, reiterated Akali Dal’s commitment to fight till all the accused in 1984 carnage are brought to book.