New Delhi: VK Singh, MoS MEA on if there would be some compensation announced today for the kin of the 38 Indians killed in Iraq: “Yeh biscuit baantne wala kaam nahi hai, ye admiyon ki zindagi ka sawal hai. Aa gayi baat samajh mein? Main abhi elaan kahan se karoon? Jeb mein koi pitaara thodi rakha hua hai. Jobs are not biscuits which can be distributed, this is a matter of the lives of people, you understand? How can I announce anything now? I don’t have a kitty in my pocket.”

Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has announced compensation for 27 of the 39 Indians killed in Iraq who were from Punjab. He said an ex-gratia compensation of Rs 5 lakh per family, job for one person per family will be given and the current pension of Rs 20,000 will continue.