New Delhi, Sep 16: Accusing the government of being inhuman and insensitive, Delhi High Court blast victims' kin today asked the administration not to run away from its responsibilities after just paying the compensation.
“Is the value of my father's life Rs 4 lakh? Is the value of the common man's life so cheap? And for how long this meagre compensation going to last?” asked 18-year-old Damini whose father A K Sharma was one of the 14 victims of the September 7 terror attack.
“When we had gone to collect my father's body at RML hospital, there was no cleanliness, no water, no ambulance. We were even asked to buy sheets to cover the body,” she said addressing the media with other victims of the terror attack.
“At least they could have offered some respect to my deceased father who was the sole earning member of our family of four,” she asked.
Every family had their own stories to tell about the government's “inhumane behaviour” that was meted out to them at the hospital.
Kanchan, daughter of Bir Pal Singh (50) who died in the attack, said, “My father's body was covered under a dirty bed sheet. Was he an animal that they treated him in this manner? Until and unless those in power lose someone from their own family, they won't understand what we are going through.”
She said: “I have two sisters and a younger brother. My father was the sole earning member and now they are saying I'll get a government job after three years. How will we survive for three years? If possible take all the money we have but return my father.”
All India Anti Terrorist Front Chairman M S Bitta said the government must provide free medical cards to the victims of terrorist attacks so that they do not have to go from one place to another for treatment.
Bitta alleged that the government has not learnt any lessons from previous terrorist attacks and asked it to provide more security to the common man.
The family of 21-year-old Amanpreet Singh Jolie, a young lawyer, who fell a victim to the attack, also alleged insensitivity on part of the government towards the victims. His sister Simran Kaur said, It's been more than 10 days since the blast took place but not even a single person responsible for so many deaths has been caught.
“Enough is enough. It seems terrorist attacks have become a routine affair for the government but the day they themselves become victims of terrorism, they will feel our pain,” Kaur said.
Amanpreet's father, Manmohan Singh Jolie, said, “There has not been a single terrorist attack in the US since 9/11. If they can stop terrorism, why can't we?”
“I cried for first four days but now I am not afraid of these terrorists anymore and this is my message to all Indians too. These terrorists who kill innocent cannot change the way we live our lives. If the government cannot protect us, we ourselves will have to take care of our own protection,” he said. PTI
