LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has drawn profound criticism from the All India Riot Victim Relief Committee (AIRVRC) for failing to submit affidavits regarding the status report on the massacre of Sikhs in Kanpur during the 1984 anti-Sikh genocide.

Kanpur was one of the worst hit cities during the genocide. As per the findings of the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission, one hundred and twenty-seven Sikhs were killed in Kanpur during the 1984 massacre.

AIRVRC chairman Kuldeep Singh Bhogal said the delay in submitting affidavits will also delay the justice to the families.

“Families of the victims have been waiting for justice for the last 34 years. After Congress leader Sajjan Kumar was convicted in Delhi recently, more people, especially the Sikhs in Kanpur, have become hopeful of justice” 

During the 1984 anti-Sikh genocide, the Uttar Pradesh government was under the control of the Congress party. The state government is currently under BJP control led by the Hindu nationalist politician, Yogi Adityanath.

“Both the central and state governments were supposed to furnish affidavits in the apex court as the case will most likely be heard in January. Also, earlier some files and records pertaining to the case had gone missing in Kanpur” 

Kuldeep Singh slammed the previous governments for not taking up the issue seriously and said the SIT formation by the current UP government has made the Sikh community hopeful of justice. Talking about the compensation given to the families of the 127 victims of the anti-Sikh genocide,Kuldeep Singh said:

“Around 24 women who lost their husbands were given Rs 11,000 by the committee. The Delhi Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee also gives Rs 1,000 each to these victims every month. However, the centre had announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh but 62 families have not received anything yet.”