Arvind Kejriwal announces compensation of Rs 1 crore for IB staffer Ankit Sharma’s kin, Twitter users call move 'selective'

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday announced a compensation of Rs 1 crore for the family of Intelligence Bureau (IB) staffer Ankit Sharma, who lost his life in the northeast Delhi violence last week. However, the move was criticised by journalists and other Twitter users as a “populist and selective” measure.

“Ankit Sharma was a brave officer. He was brutally murdered in the riots. The country is proud of him. The Delhi government has decided that his family will be given an honorarium of Rs 1 crore, and a job to one person of his family. May his soul rest in peace,” Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi.

अंकित शर्मा IB के जाँबाज़ अधिकारी थे। दंगो में उनका नृशंस तरीक़े से क़त्ल कर दिया गया। देश को उन पर नाज़ है। दिल्ली सरकार ने तय किया है कि उनके परिवार को 1 करोड़ की सम्मान राशि और उनके परिवार के एक व्यक्ति को नौकरी देंगे। भगवान उनकी आत्मा को शांति दें।

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) March 2, 2020

The AAP government under Kejriwal and the Delhi Police have come under fire for their handling of the three-day riots that broke out over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), with citizens and activists accusing the authorities of inadequate action to quell the violence that resulted in the deaths of 47 people so far.

The families of others killed in the violence will be given a compensation of Rs 2 lakh, Kejriwal had announced in a press conference last week. Meanwhile, people who have been seriously injured will be given a relief amount of Rs 50,000, reports said.

Slamming the compensation for Sharma’s family, Alt News co-founder Pratik Sinha said that Kejriwal must announce a compensation of Rs 1 crore for all the people who have been killed in the riots. “Unless, of course, selectivity and populism is your mantra now,” he added.

Hello @ArvindKejriwal, have you heard of the person who died after being beaten-up by police? Kindly announce the compensation of 1 crore for all those who have been killed in the riots. Unless, of course selectivity and populism is your mantra now. https://t.co/IaJfTA0BK0

— Pratik Sinha (@free_thinker) March 2, 2020

On Monday afternoon, Kejriwal retweeted a post by a journalist , mentioning that the Delhi government has given Rs 1 lakh to Faizan, one of the victims, and will give another Rs 9 lakh after a detailed report. Faizan was allegedly forced by the police to sing the national anthem while he was lying grievously injured, and later passed away.

Some others have also accused Kejriwal of being “selective” and demanded that families of other victims should also be given equal compensation as the family of Sharma.

Baakiyo ko bhi dedo - don't be selective Kejriwal ji. Mana polticians se ladte ladte aap bhi bade wale politician ban gaye ho. https://t.co/4nLtYfA7kH

— Danish (@DanishKh4n) March 2, 2020

What about Faizan who died after being shot and then beaten by Delhi Police?

What about the remaining 40 or so victims?

Family of Ankit Sharma deserves as much compensation as the state can give but so do the others.

All lives are equal Kejriwal. Don't divide the dead also. https://t.co/9HHjSBGZtw

— Srivatsa (@srivatsayb) March 2, 2020

You should be ashamed Kejriwal, instead of finding killer, you are trying to throw tax payer's money. https://t.co/TFNG9iwqrO

— Gunjan Mishra (@GunjanMishra4) March 2, 2020

Last week, Kejriwal was also criticised for the Delhi government’s approval for the prosecution of former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, former JNU students Umar Khalid, and Anirban Bhattacharya, among others in the 2016 JNU sedition case. While the government called it a “purely procedural matter”, politicians , and others , and the JNUSU slammed the move.

With inputs from agencies