While the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) is still in the process of clearing the project, the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has decided to start construction of a memorial for victims of the anti-Sikh riot at Rakabganj Gurdwara on November 1 – the 30 anniversary of 1984 riots in Delhi.
Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal would be attending the function on Saturday. The DSGMC plans to construct the memorial that would have names of all the victims inscribed on it. The foundation stone of the memorial was laid in June last year, the function for which was attended by Union Minister Rajnath Singh and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
“While the memorial would serve as an assembling point for the families who lost their loved ones, it would also remind that the Constitution provides equal rights to people from all religions,” said Manjit Singh GK, president of DSGMC.
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The memorial is yet to get legal status from the NDMC that red flagged its construction during the chairmanship of former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit. Last month the NDMC had sought opinion of the Home Department of the Delhi Government on the issue. The Home Department in turn had sought a report from the Intelligence wing of the Delhi Police.
“The Home Department does not have any role. The final decision has to be taken by the Union Urban Development Ministry, Delhi Development Authority and the NDMC,” a Delhi Government official said.