Terrorism-hit families demand pension

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, March 17

The All India Terrorist Victims Association on Sunday held its annual meeting here and demanded compensation for the terrorism-hit families on the lines of 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims, pending with the Central government.

They urged the government to grant the relief to the terrorism-hit families, who had been facing hardship for the past three decades.

The association had sent a reminder to the Central government in December 2018. Association chairman Dr BR Hastir said that in response to the reminder in January this year, the Ministry of Home Affairs pointed out that the matter was sub judice as a petition was pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

It pointed out that the consecutive state and the Central governments had miserably failed to provide any justice to the terrorist-hit families in Punjab while the political parties used the issue to their advantage. Their demand of suitable compensation had not been met till now even after elapsing of three decades.

In 2006, the Punjab Chief Minister forwarded a proposal for the same to the Ministry of Home Affairs and subsequent DOs were sent in 2009, 2011 and 2014 to the Prime Minister for the relief package to the terrorism-hit families in Punjab on the pattern of anti-Sikh riot victims. The Central government later accepted the proposal which is pending with Home Ministry.

The association has demanded Rs 8.50 lakh compensation per family killed by militants in Punjab on the pattern of riot-hit victims, besides Rs 5 lakh for those families who migrated from their native places due to terrorism. Similarly, Rs 2.50 lakh relief to the injured by terrorists and pension of Rs 5,000-10,000 per month for the victim families was also demanded.