E-Paper
Gujarat Govt indifferent to riot-affected: NHRC
NHRC severely criticised the Gujarat Government on relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the post-Godhra riots.
The NHRC has said Gujarat has been "indifferent" in tackling the issue and the compensation paid to the people displaced by the riots was "grossly inadequate".
NHRC severely criticised the Gujarat Government on relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the post-Godhra riots.
The Commission, in its annual report for 2003-04 tabled recently in Parliament, states that it has continued to be concerned about the relief, rehabilitation and resettlement of the victims of the communal violence in Gujarat.
The NHRC said it had proposed several measures for relief and rehabilitation of riot victims but the experience of the Commission has been that the state government has been less than forthcoming or cooperative in responding to the recommendations that included setting up a Grievance Redressal Authority (GRA).
It said that the report of the state Chief Secretary sent to the Commission in September 2003, in response to the recommendations made by the NHRC was "more intended to block any action on the issues suggested by the Commission than to address them."
Meanwhile, the Commission's Special Rapporteur, when consulted on the issue of setting up a GRA, stated that the compensation paid to those displaced in the riots was grossly inadequate.
As per the report of the police, the total damage to properties was to the tune of Rs 687.34 crore, whereas the state Government had distributed only Rs 56.37 crore to the affected persons, which work out to just about nine per cent of the loss.
