CM gives job letters to family members of 1984 riot victims
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday handed over job appointment letters to family members of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims.
The event, held at the Delhi Secretariat, was attended by Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee president Harmeet Singh Kalka, senior Revenue Department officials and the families of those affected by the riots.
As many as 19 persons got their appointment letters at the ceremony, with a total of 125 riot-affected individuals expected to be offered government jobs.
Calling it as a landmark step in the journey toward justice for the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims,” the Chief Minister said these jobs signify more than just employment. “By distributing these appointment letters, the Delhi Government has not only provided jobs, but also recognised the dignity and identity of thousands of families who had waited decades for justice,” Gupta said.
She credited Narendra Modi-led Central Government for initiating concrete steps in addressing the grievances of the victims. “The process of delivering justice to the riot victims and punishing the perpetrators truly began after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power at the Centre,” she said.
Reflecting on the trauma of the 1984 violence, Gupta said: “The 1984 riots remain a dark chapter in the history of India — one that is impossible to forget. For those who lost their loved ones, no compensation can ever be enough for their pain.”
Gupta also used the occasion to raise concerns over other displaced and affected groups. “Previous governments ignored their struggles for too long. Our government has resolved to offer full support, and disbursement of pending aid and grants has already begun,” she said, referring to Kashmiri migrant families.
Gupta said several families which lost their loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic have not received any compensation. “A special committee has been formed to identify such cases and provide financial support,” she noted.
Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who himself belongs to a family affected by the 1984 riots, described the event as deeply personal. “Today’s process proves beyond doubt that while justice may be delayed, it is not always denied — it arrives, and it arrives with dignity,” Sirsa said.
He criticised past governments for their inaction and praised the current administration for addressing the issue within its first 100 days.
The Chief Minister also recalled the contributions of those imprisoned during the Emergency. “These individuals were never honoured. Our government has now decided that such democracy defenders will receive the same respect as they do in other states,” she said.
Delhi