Chandigarh/ Punjab (July 08, 2014): According to media reports the Punjab Government has increased the monetary assistance being paid to Dharmi Faujis, or Indian Amry personnel who had participated in mutiny the in the aftermath of Indian army’s attack on Darbar Sahib in Amritsar, 30 years ago.
The marginal assistance being paid to the soldiers has been doubled from Rs 3,000 per month to Rs 6,000, while that for widows of those Dharmi Faujis who were killed by Indian army on their way to Darbar Sahib has been hiked from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000.
Dharmi Faujis
According to information a total of 121 persons, including 25 widows, are receiving this assistance.
In addition, the grandchildren of these individuals would also be entitled to free education in government-run institutes, including professional colleges.
These benefits were introduced for the Dharmi Faujis on the grounds that they had served in the armed forces but had been swayed by religious sentiments and emotions and were not in receipt of any pension or service benefits.
According to reports, about 3,000 Sikh soldiers had left their units or barracks on hearing about the Indian army’s attack on the Darbar Sahib (Amritsar). An entire battalion, 9 Sikh, was disbanded in 1984 owing to such incidents.
Many Sikh soldiers were killed by Indian army on their way to Darbar Sahib, while scores of other Sikh soldiers were tried by court martial and dismissed from service.