Riot victims’ groups clash over flat allotment forms

Two groups,both claiming to be fighting for the rights of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims,clashed outside the Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan on Sunday afternoon where some 1,400 victims had gathered to fill up forms for allocation of flats.

The district administration has been distributing forms to the riot victims for flat allocation; however,unhappy with some of the conditions laid down by the administration,Surjit Singh of the Danga Peerat Welfare Association stopped the victims from accepting the forms. This was opposed by members of the 1984 Sikh Katleaam Peerat Action Committee led by Gursharan Singh of Patiala. Soon,members of both factions clashed with each other. In order to control the situation,the police resorted to a mild lathicharge,even though ACP Rajkumar denied any such police action taking place.

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Surjit Singh,airing his share of grouses,said: “The HC has made it very clear that a committee has to be formed,which will list down the conditions for allocating the flats. However,the district administration has not done that. Instead,it printed the forms.”

He added: “The condition laid down by the administration is that a family earning less than Rs 1,534 per month can claim a flat. A worker employed under NREGS earns Rs 100 per day,which means we,the riot victims,are even poorer than him. Our contention is that people with red cards should be given flats without any condition.”

Singh also claimed that five members of his group were injured. The police,however,dismissed the claim and said only two persons received minor injuries.