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The Centre’s announcement of Rs 106 crores for the victims of 2002 Gujarat riots, led to a commotion in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday with ruling BJP members calling it minority appeasement by the UPA Government.

Seizing the opportunity, Chief Minister Narendra Modi quickly demanded that the Centre should grant compensation to victims of all riots at the rate paid to the victims of 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Raising the issue during the Zero Hour, ruling BJP legislators were on their feet shouting slogans against the Centre’s alleged discriminatory attitude in granting liberal compensation to the minority riot victims on the eve on Uttar Pradesh elections.

Opposition Congress members objected to the remarks which led to slogans and counter slogans leading the adjournment of the House twice during the day.

Following reports that the Gujarat Government has not adequately compensated and rehabilitated the 2002 riot victims who are still languishing in sub-human conditions in relief camps set up by the community institutions, the Union Cabinet had on Thursday night granted an ex-gratia payment of Rs 3.50 lakh each to the next of kin of the 1,169 people killed during the riots.

The status reports, prepared by a team of the National Commission for Minorities and endorsed by a delegation of MPs too, had also noted that the Gujarat Government had returned Rs 19 crore as unspent amount claiming that the rehabilitation process was complete.

Responding to the rabble-rousing by the BJP legislators over the issue, Congress Legislature Party leader Arjun Modhvadia said that instead of condemning the Centre for granting the belated relief to the riot victims the State Government should also announce its own package for rehabilitation.

He further alleged that the ruling BJP has created the ruckus over the compensation package in order to avoid the deliberations on the Finance department’s affairs which were due today.

The House was later adjourned for the day as even two adjournments could not bring order in the proceedings.