Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday handed over appointment letters to 36 family members of those affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. During the event, the chief minister said the 1984 riots remain a dark chapter in India’s history that can never be forgotten.
For those who lost their loved ones during the tragedy, no compensation can ever erase their pain. She said her administration remains committed to supporting them with dignity and justice. Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa was also present at the event.
Addressing the gathering, Gupta recounted her own childhood memories of the violence. “I was around 10 years old when the 1984 riots happened. Everyone was scared. People were hiding their identity. We have all seen those horrific scenes,” she said.
The chief minister said those scenes could never be forgotten. “No support can fully ease the pain of those days, but the government must stand with the victims,” she added.
The chief minister credited the central government for progress in legal proceedings related to the riots. “It was only after the Modi government set up the SIT that cases reopened and those responsible began to be sent to jail,” she said.
She said she considers herself only a medium in helping victims receive what they are owed.
“We only want to reduce the pain that Delhi has carried for so long. We want to work sincerely for these families,” she added. As the appointment ceremony progressed, the families expressed their gratitude to the Chief Minister in a deeply emotional manner. They switched on the flashlights of their mobile phones simultaneously.
“A few weeks ago, 19 candidates received appointment letters, and today, another 36 dependants have been appointed to MTS posts across various government departments,” she added.
Sirsa thanked the chief minister for prioritising long-pending rehabilitation measures, saying families had carried the pain of the 1984 riots for decades, and that the step would offer some support and recognition.
