New Delhi: Had the guilty been punished after the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, incidents like in Gujarat and Dadri would not have happened and "such intolerance" would not have spread, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday.
The Chief Minister along with his Deputy Manish Sisodia distributed the enhanced compensation cheques of Rs 5 lakh to the relative of each of the 1,300 people killed in the violence and paid homage to the victims on the 31st anniversary of the riots.
"If those guilty in the 1984 riots were punished in the past 31 years, then incidents like those in Gujarat and Dadri would not have happened.
"No one would have dared to spread hatred among people on basis of religion and such intolerance would not have spread in the country," the Chief Minister said after distributing the cheques in West Delhi's Tilak Vihar.
The Chief Minister also claimed that "intolerance and hatred is thriving because those perpetrating it know that those in power will protect them". He claimed that the Centre ordered constitution of Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the riots because it was "afraid" that once his government takes charge the guilty will be brought to book. Kejriwal also said that he will get it legally examined if the Centre was within its rights to constitute the SIT in this matter.
"In these 31 years, almost every party formed government in Delhi as well as at the Centre. BJP and Congress formed governments in Delhi, NDA and Congress formed government in Centre and every party and government kept on saying that Sikhs should be given justice. But who else will ensure justice if the government doesn't?
"During our 49-day regime we had ordered the constitution of SIT which wasn't formed in 30 years. But when we had resigned from the government, it was cancelled.
"However, when we formed government again on February 14, just a day before that the central government constituted an SIT because they were scared that when Arvind will come to power, all those who are guilty will be booked," he added.
The Chief Minister said "the intolerance in the country has reached so high that even the President has raised concern on the same four times during this month".
In October, 2014, a hike in compensation to Rs five lakh had been announced by the central government, five months after the BJP had formed its government at the Centre.
In August, 2015, the Delhi Cabinet decided to distribute enhanced compensation cheques as announced by the central government to the kin of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot victims.
Delhi Government has estimated an expenditure of around Rs 130 crore on compensation for around 2,600 families of ant-Sikh riot victims. The Centre will later refund the compensation amount to the Delhi Government.
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