National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) today issued notice to Punjab government over allegations of misappropriation of funds released by the Centre in 2006 for relief of 1984 anti-Sikh riots victims.
The notice has been issued to the Punjab Chief Secretary and his response sought in seven days after NCSC took suo motu cognisance of the allegation against the Akali government by BJP leader Navjot Kaur Sidhu, wife of cricketer-turned- politician Navjot Singh Sidhu.
"The chief parliamentary secretary of Punjab government and BJP leader had accused the ruling BJP-SAD coalition of a fraud related to Rs 440 crore given as aid for 1984 riot victims. The assistance money was released by UPA government in 2006," NCSC vice president Rajkumar Verka said.
"The government's own parliamentary secretary has accused it of committing fraud. The Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of the matter and issued a notice to Punjab government's chief secretary, seeking his reply within seven days," Verka said.
He said state Vigilance Bureau had conducted a probe in the matter but no action was taken on its report.
He said he has also sought report a from deputy commissioners of Amritsar and Ludhiana over the actions taken in this matter so far. NCSC has also directed the commissioners of these two cities to take action on the basis of the VB report, Verka said.
He said the Commission has also asked Sidhu to share with it any other details or evidence she possessed related to her claims of fraud by the state government.
Navjot Kaur Sidhu had yesterday claimed in a press conference in Amritsar that Shirmani Akali Dal had misappropriated Rs 440 crore assistance money for riot victims sent by central government in 2006.
