New Delhi, July 31 (IANS): The BJP on Friday urged the Delhi government to immediately release an enhanced ex-gratia compensation of Rs.5 lakh to the families of those killed in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

The party urged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in this regard through a letter addressed to Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) national secretary R.P. Singh said in the letter: "I am writing this as a reminder to you, further to the request on behalf of our Delhi state president, for the release of enhanced ex-gratia compensation of Rs.5 lakh to the family of every deceased victim in the anti-Sikh carnage of 1984 in Delhi and other parts of the country as announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs in its order dated December 16, 2014."

As per the home ministry's (MHA) order, the central government had sanctioned "a rehabilitation package of Rs.714.76 crore in 2006 vide which reimbursement of Rs.534.20 crore were made to various state governments and with the residual amount of Rs.180.56 crore".

Therefore, the home ministry has considered providing additional compensation to the next of kin to the persons who died in anti-Sikh riots in 1984, the MHA's order, dated December 16, 2014, said while adding that the state governments were required to pay the compensation at the earliest and take reimbursement from MHA by submitting utilization certificate.