HC seeks govt reply on jobs for kin of anti-sikh riots victims

NEWDELHI: The Delhi high court on Monday sought the Delhi government’s response on a plea seeking the implementation of a 2006 central government circular, which had stated that relatives of victims of the 1984 anti-sikh riots be provided jobs and other benefits.

The circular had also sought for age relaxation norms for them.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar Rao issued a notice to the state government, asking them to file a report detailing the status of the job applications which it had received since the circular was issued.

The court was hearing a plea filed by Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), which has alleged that the circular has not been implemented even after 12 years. Moreover, the plea stated, not a single person has secured employment.

Appearing for the petitioner, senior advocate APS Ahluwalia and advocate Harpreet Singh Hora, contended that non-implementation of the scheme has caused families of the anti-sikh riot victims “undue injustice and discrimination”.

The plea claimed that 2,733 people had died in the riots, and after the 2006 circular was issued, the Delhi government had received 1,115 job applications. None of the applicants have, till date, been employed as per the circular.

The petition seeks the status of the job applications of the riot victims’ family members, along with the reasons for rejection or pendency of the same.

It also urged the court to direct the claims of the riot victims’ family members be decided within a specified timeframe.

The matter will be next heard on February 4.

Meanwhile, a bench of Justice S Muralidhar and Justice Vinod Goel reserved its orders on a plea filed by the CBI, challenging the acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in the riots case. The bench has now asked the parties to file their written submissions, if any, by November 22.