Delhi CM Rekha Gupta on Friday distributed appointment letters to 36 dependents of families affected by the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, describing the step as “not merely employment, but the restoration of dignity, rights and identity” for survivors who have waited four decades for justice.

Gupta said the riots remain an “unforgettable tragedy” and acknowledged that no compensation can fully undo the loss, but added that her government is committed to ensuring the families live with dignity. She credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for expediting justice by setting up a Special Investigation Team, and said her administration had completed a transparent, fast-tracked appointment process.

Nineteen dependents had previously received appointment letters. With Friday’s additions, a total of 55 survivors’ family members have been appointed to Multi-Tasking Staff posts across departments. Delhi Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said the move offers “a true balm on the deep wounds” of families long fighting for recognition.

He said many parents of victims are now elderly, and the government has allowed their children to take up the posts instead.

For the first time, he noted, concessions in age and educational qualifications have been granted specifically to support riot-affected families.

"This initiative rises above politics," Sirsa said, adding that it symbolises compassion, service and the restoration of self-respect for families who have silently carried their pain for years.