C H A P T E R   -   1 6

C O M M I S S I O N   T A K E S   S O M E   S T E P S   F O R   R E H A B I L I T A T I O N

Though  the  question   of  rehabilitation  of  the  riot  victims  was not  within  the strict  purview  of  the  references  to  the  Commission, out  of  humanitarian  consideration,  with  a  view  to  easing  the  tension  to   facilitate  the  inquiry  and  for  helping  generation,  and/or  restoration, of  mutual  trust,  the  commission   took  certain steps  at  all  the  three  places  of  inquiry.  As  a  result  of  such  steps  relief and  rehabilitation  of  the following   nature  has  been secured :

A. .  At  Bokaro  and  Chas :

 (i)  Death  compensation  has  been  enhanced  from  Rs. 10000  to  Rs.   20,000 and    the  additional  compensation  has  already  been  paid :

 (ii)  For  many  families  who  had lost  the  bread-winner,  service  for  another  member has  been  provided.

 (iii) Some  of  the  victims  who  had  lost residential  accommodation on account  of  arson have  been  provided  alternate  residence:      

 (iv)  Some  insurance  claims  which  had been  repudiated  have  now been  entertained.

 (v)   Bank  facilities  have been extended in some  genuine  cases :

 (vi)  State  Government  has agreed  to  provide  1/4 acre  of  land  for  locating  a Gurudwara  demolished  during  the  riots.

 (Vii)Death -cum-retirement  benefits of  several  employees  in public  sector  undertakings  to  their  next  of  kin  have been  secured.

Letters  from the  State  Government  of  Bihar in this  connection are in Vol.  II, Appendix  19  at  pages  78-80.

B.  At  Kanpur :

(i)  Employment for  some  widow  has  been  secured  and/or  processed.

(ii) Banking  facilities  have been  extended  and  insurance claims have been  revived.

 (iii)Death  compensation to next  of  kin  not  paid  earlier  has been  arranged.

Letters  from  the  State  Government  of  Uttar Pradesh in this  connection  are  in Vol.II, Appendix 18, pages  71-77.

C. At  Delhi :

(i)  Accommodations  for  riot  widows  has  been  ensured through  Delhi Administration ;

 (ii)  Quantum  of  death  compensation  has been  enhanced  to  Rs .20000  from Rs. 10000  and  the  same has been disbursed;

 (iii) Employment  to  some youngmen  in  the  families  where  the bread-winner  dead  during  riot  has been  secured;

 (iv) Banking  facilities  have been  processed.

Letters from the  Delhi Administration  in this  connection  are  in  Vol. II. Appendix  20,  pages  81-84.

                                                E P I L O G U E

As  in nature,  so in society nothing happens  without  a back drop.  In  some  instances, the back ground  is in bold  relief,  perceptibly  clear  and  prominent : in others  it is  withdrawn  and insignificant. The November  1984  riots  were no  exception. As  has repeatedly  been canvassed  by  the State  Administrations,  events  in Punjab including the Operation Blue  Star  and its  aftermath  within and  outside  the  country had led  to the  generation  of a peculiar mood  among the  vast majority of the  people. Perhaps  the generated  bias  against  the  wrongdoers  of Punjab  incidents  worked  to play  to the tune of  the  anti-social  element in transforming exhibition of  initial indignation  into  condemnable  and beastly behaviour  in course of the riots.  The  background  afforded no  justification for all this.  The identification of  every  Sikh  with  the two  assassins  of  Smt. Gandhi  is  an unpardonable  mistake.  If , for  instance,  instead  of  the  assassins  being  Sikhs  they  were  Hindus,  would  the  country men  have   behaved  the same  way ?  If not,  there was  no justification for  the riots.  The riots  have brought  about  a crack —  nay,  more  than that —  perhaps  a  cleavage  cementing  of  which  is  posing  a  serious  problem.

The  Commission  hopes  and expects  that   every  group  within the  Indian Society  will soon  bestow  anxious  consideration over  the obstinate  issue, carefully  sift the events  and experiences  and  appropriately  mould  its  conduct again  to join  the  national  march  ahead by  forgetting the  unpleasant   episodes  of the  cloudy  days  and looking  forward  to bright  sunshine  ahead.