NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) will move the Supreme Court again shortly, for repealing of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (prevention) Act (TADA), and also enlist the support of the members of the Parliament in this endeavor.
The Chairman of the Commission, Justice Ranganath Misra, said that the NHRC would be writing to all the MP’s, about the need to repeal TADA along with appealing again in the Apex Court. ‘Speaking at a function to observe the Human Rights Day here, Justice Misra urged the government to ratify the UN convention against torture, which would be a fitting tribute to the ‘Father of the Nation,’ on his 125th anniversary.
The Chairman said, that he had already met the President, Dr. ‘Shankar Dayal Sharma, and the Prime Minister, P.V. Narasimha Rao, and discussed the ratification of this convention with them.
In a letter written to the Prime Minster last week Justice Misra said, that violence had spread its tentacles everywhere, and seemed to be out to afflict the entire human society, and unless mankind abjured violence and stamped out brutality, “we could not create a culture of human rights and an atmosphere of peace, congenial to. Happy living.”
Meanwhile, the NHRC Chairman said, that the Commission would take steps to see that child labor was abolished, especially in the hazardous industries like glass, fireworks, match and carpet.
The Chairman announced a scheme from 1995, where by all child labor would be abolished in the glass industry of Firozabad in Uttar Pradesh.
The scheme sanctioned by the government provides for education to the children and payment of Rs 1500 per month, so that the economic factor does not impede their rehabilitation, he said.
The Commission would be shortly visiting Savakis in Tamil Nadu, to study in depth the effect of working in the hazardous fireworks and match industries, on children, the Chairman said.
The Chairman also announced that Madhya Pradesh was one of the first states to set up a State Human rights Commission, which would start functioning from January 1995.
The process of setting up State Human Rights Commissions was on in West Bengal, Assam, Punjab and Rajasthan, and once the state units were functional, the NHRC could concentrate on larger issues, Justice Misra said.
The National Human Rights Commission would also recommend amendments to the Child Marriage Act, so that it becomes an effective statute, the Chairman said.
Justice Misra also recommended reorganizing the police force on the lines of the Dharma Vir report, for expediting investigation, and also takes up the issue of jail reforms. The Lok Sabha Speaker, Shivraj Patil, who was chief guest at the function, said that human rights must translate into freedom from war and fear. Only when an individual was free from war and fear could his personality develops to the fullest extent, Patil said.
The BJP leader, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who also spoke on the occasion, urged the people to renew their commitment on human rights. Vajpayee pointed out that focus of human rights should not be limited to political rights, but must also extend to economic and cultural rights.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 16, 1994
