AMRITSAR:The chief minister of Delhi, Madan Lal Khurana, said a high-level committee headed by Justice (retd.) R.S.Narula would be set up to suggest how to punish those involved in the 1984 massacre of Sikhs in Delhi.

Talking to newsmen here, Khurana, who had come to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple and the Durgiana temple here, said the culprits had already been identified by various commis- sions setup by the Center but no action had been initiated against them. So, the BJP government would ask the high-level committee to find ways to punish the culprits.

Gen. Jagjit Singh Aurora (retd,) would be among the other members of the committee to be finalized this week. While asserting that it was not another dilatory tactic to prevent the culprits from being brought to book, Khurana said the committee would be asked to submit its report within a few days.

Khurana regretted that the Center had adopted a lackadaisical approach towards punishing the culprits in the 1984 riots, while it was in an unusual hurry to initiate action after the Ayodhya incident.

The BJP chief minister was welcomed at the airport by the Akali leader, Prakash Singh Badal. Khurana announced several concessions for Sikhs in Delhi.

He said in consonance with the BJP’s election promise, Punjabi would be made the second language of Delhi, from which status it had been removed by the Congress in 1980, He said his movement would also approach Doordarshan to begin a regional news bulletin in Punjabi, along with the Urdu news, telecast in the evening.

Lauding the role of Guru Tegh Bahadur in fighting to protect the Hindus, Khurana said his birth anniversary on December 18 would be declared a public holiday in Delhi.

After formally assuming the office of chief minister, Dee Khurana will call on the president, Dr.Shankar Dayal Sharma, and the home minister, Y.B.Chavan.

While admitting that the Delhi chief minister did not enjoy wide powers, he said he could still act as a “guardian of Delhi.” He would expect the lieutenant-govenor to seek his advice on all vital issues, including law and order.

Khurana said he did not favor confrontation with the Center, but at the same time he would expect the Center lo honor the verdict of the people and accord due importance to the Delhi government.

Article extracted from this publication >>  December 10, 1993