The wait for the mortal remains of their loved one just longer by another 24 hours. The family members of Sandeep Singh Rana, one among the 39 people killed in Iraq, is still waiting for the closure that External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj promised them. It is still unclear how his body will arrive in Himachal Pradesh
“We wanted to go to Amritsar, when the plane arrived today. But were told not to,’’ said his sister Neelam. On Sunday, Rana’s family received a call, informing them that the bodies would either arrive at Nurpur or Pathankot. “We were told to come quietly and that only two members would be allowed to accompany the body. “This is very unfair. People in Punjab have already been handed over the bodies. Why have we been left out?’’
Four out of the 39 Indians killed in Iraq were from Himachal Pradesh. The bodies will arrive at Nurpur on Monday evening, and will be kept overnight. The relatives will only be able to get the bodies on Tuesday.
The special aircraft, carrying the bodies of 38 Indians, arrived at Amritsar earlier in the day. General V.K. Singh, who had left for Iraq, accompanied the bodies to Amritsar. Navjot Singh Sidhu, the Punjab MP, was also at the airport to receive the bodies. The family members then had the grim task of waiting at the tarmac till their number was called to collect the body. With 27 bodies to be handed over, each family had less than four or five minutes to collect the remains of their kin. A number was assigned to them and when it was called out, the families went up to collect the bodies.
Swaraj had hit out at the Congress for playing politics with death. However, the manner in which the whole issue has been handled—from the rather theatrical declaration of the death in Parliament—to the bringing back of the bodies tweeted by General Singh, does suggest that there is an eye on the elections. The compensation for the families will be another battle. “Himachal Pradesh gave us only Rs 4 lakhs. But in Punjab the offer has been of Rs. 20,000 a month,’’ she says. “Why this difference?’’
There has also been a hint at providing jobs to the kin. When Swaraj met the families a week ago, this was a demand that the members put to her. While there was no promise made, the right kind of noises have been made. According to ANI, Minister of State for External Affairs V.K. Singh said, "This is not a game of football. Both state and Central governments are sensitive. MEA had asked the families for the details of their members who can be given jobs. We will review it."