The Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday has decided to hand over cheques of the state’s share of the Rs 4.5 crore compensation to Jodhpur detainees on Thursday.
An official spokesperson said on Wednesday that the CM will hand over the cheques to the detainees at the Punjab Bhawan in the presence of all members of his Cabinet. The Punjab government decided to go ahead with the disbursement of its share of the compensation, awarded by the Amritsar district court, after the Central government communicated to the state its decision to contribute its share of the compensation, said spokesperson.
Amarinder Singh had recently written to Union Home minister Rajnath Singh to seek urgent resolution of the matter in order to provide the much-needed respite to the detainees. He had also made it clear that if the Centre fails to come forward with its share of the compensation then the state government will take over its liability too.
The CM had also met the detainees, who were arrested and detained in the Jodhpur prison following ‘Operation Blue Star’ in June 1984 and had assured them of his government’s full support in the matter.