New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday handed over appointment letters to 36 family members of victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, promising that other eligible families will also be offered government jobs soon. “This was not merely a job distribution programme, but a concrete initiative to honour the long wait and struggle of those families,” said CM Gupta while talking to reporters at the Delhi Secretariat.

She said the previous governments did not come to the aid of these families and, by the grace of the Sikh Gurus, this noble task is being completed by the BJP government in Delhi. The Chief Minister highlighted how the government has relaxed job-related norms on education qualification and age limit to bring relief to the families of victims of anti-Sikh riots. In a message on social media, “Today, appointment letters for MTS positions were handed over to the family members of 36 families affected by the 1984 Sikh riots at the Delhi Secretariat.”

“The 1984 Sikh riots represent an extremely painful chapter in our history. Under the leadership of the Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodiji, continuous efforts have been made to deliver justice and respect to the affected families,” she said. The Chief Minister said, “Building on that same vision, our government is taking firm steps to provide dignified livelihoods and a secure future to the impacted families.”

She said the event organised at the Red Fort on the 350th martyrdom day of Shri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji was an opportunity for us to serve and fulfil our duties. “Today, receiving the affection and respect from those families in the spirit of that very service was an extremely emotional moment for me,” she said. A few months ago, appointment letters were given to 19 families and today jobs have been provided to 36 more families, proving that the government stands with them and is ensuring every opportunity for them to move forward with dignity, she said. “This is not aid — it is responsibility. This is not formality — it is respect. And it is a genuine effort to secure the future while remembering the past,” she said, thanking Cabinet colleague Manjinder Singh Sirsa for his efforts to offer relief to the families.