Punjab CM says memorial in New Delhi for '84 riot victims

Chandigarh, Nov 8 : Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced that a memorial would be built in New Delhi as a tribute to the victims of 1984 anti Sikh massacre.

The Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had jointly given a call for observing 'ardas divas' in the memory of the victims of the anti Sikh 1984 riots.

The 'ardas divas' was observed in various gurdwaras of the country on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of 1984 tragedy.

Mr Badal had specially flown in to the national capital last night to join the Sikh community in offering prayers as it was in New Delhi that the major part of the tragedy had taken place following the assassination of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi.

Later talking to the newsmen, Chief Minister’s Media Advisor Harcharan Bains said that the Punjab Government was also likely to consider building a memorial in the state.

Joining the 'ardas' at gurdwara Sahib Singh Sabha in Greater Kailash ay New Delhi, Mr Badal said that the '84 massacre was even more painful and traumatic than Babar’s invasion, since it happened at the hands of "our own government".

The Chief Minister later also offered prayers at gurdwara Bangla Sahib.

Mr Badal also urged the National Human Rights Commission to intervene since he had no faith in the Congress government at the Centre.

"I wonder why Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is silent on non filing of charge sheet against the guilty", he asked in his speech at Sahib Singh Sabha gurdwara.

--UNI

(c) 2009 Published with permission from United News of India.
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