‘Can't undo past but can improve present': Delhi CM gives job letters to kin of 1984 riot victims

Indian Express

27-05-2025

The 1984 riots in Delhi remain a dark chapter in the history of India, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said on Tuesday as she handed over appointment letters for government jobs to the relatives of those killed in the carnage. 'For those who lost loved ones, no compensation can ever be enough for their pain. We cannot undo the past, but we can certainly improve their present…This is more than a bureaucratic decision — it is a restoration of rightful entitlements,' said the CM at the event held at the Delhi Secretariat.
The appointment letters were handed over to 19 persons for multi-tasking staff (MTS) roles in the revenue department. Many recipients were emotional after receiving the job offers. Joginder Singh, who lost his father in the riots when he was just three, said, 'Ab hum matha tekne ja rahe hai (Now, we are going to pay obedience to God).'
'This is not just an appointment — it is justice walking into their lives after 40 years of silence and struggle,' the CM asserted. Hailing Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she underlined that the process of justice for the riot victims began after he came to power.
Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the Sikh face of the BJP government, was in attendance at the event. 'This moment is deeply personal—not just as a minister, but as a member of a Sikh family that has endured this pain… this wait, this hope. I proudly say today that this government has finally delivered what should have been theirs decades ago.'
'….This appointment is historic in itself, as the Delhi Government has even relaxed eligibility conditions to ensure justice is served,' he added.
Referring to the government's step as a 'landmark' in the journey towards justice, the Chief Minister said, 'By distributing these appointment letters, the Delhi government has not just provided jobs, but also recognised the dignity and identity of thousands of families who had waited decades for justice.'
The anti-sikh riots broke out in the aftermath of the assassination of Indira Gandhi, the then-Prime Minister, by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984. Thousands were killed across the country, and many families have since fought protracted legal battles for compensation and rehabilitation.
The handing out of the appointment letters on Tuesday is a part of an ongoing process. Last November, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena distributed job letters to 50 persons, followed by 89 more in January this year, ahead of the Assembly elections in the city. The latest batch brings the total number of appointments under the government relief scheme to 158.
Atma Singh Lubana, Vice-Chairperson of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, who has been advocating for the victims since 1998, said, 'Many applicants were uneducated and couldn't qualify for government jobs under regular norms. It wasn't until 2024 that this requirement was waived.'
He added that over 650 applications had been submitted after camps were held at district magistrate offices. 'The problem now is that those who were in their 20s at the time of the riots are over 60 now, so they can no longer join government service. We are demanding that in such cases, the grandchild of the victim be offered the appointment instead.'
During the event, the CM also spoke about the plight of Kashmiri Pandits and those who lost loved ones during the Covid pandemic but were not provided any compensation. 'To address this, a special committee has been formed to identify such cases and provide financial support,' the Delhi government said.