Indian Express, Delhi

Indian Express, Delhi Thursday 11th December 2014, Page: 25 Width: 14.46 cms, Height: 10.29 cms, a4, Ref: pmin.2014-12-11.40.205 Pioneer, Delhi Thursday 11th December 2014, Page: 4 Width: 8.09 cms, Height: 3.92 cms, a4, Ref: pmin.2014-12-11.31.50 Tribune, Delhi Thursday 11th December 2014, Page: 10 Width: 4.91 cms, Height: 12.78 cms, a4, Ref: pmin.2014-12-11.58.63 Rajasthan Patrika, Jaipur Wednesday 10th December 2014, Page: 5 Width: 20.11 cms, Height: 11.34 cms, a4r, Ref: pmin.2014-12-11.5.14 Hindu, Delhi Thursday 11th December 2014, Page: 4 Width: 12.66 cms, Height: 15.37 cms, a4, Ref: pmin.2014-12-11.46.23 Hindu, Delhi Thursday 11th December 2014, Page: 9 Width: 23.17 cms, Height: 24.17 cms, a3, Ref: pmin.2014-12-11.46.49 THE TIMES OF INDIA India NHRC vows to strengthen human rights defenders TNN | Dec 10, 2014, 03.56AM IST NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), on the eve of Human Rights Day on Wednesday, appealed to state governments to come forward on the occasion to endorse publicly the importance of this special day through various forums in order to help usher in a culture of human rights in the country. It has also pledged to stand up for human rights defenders (HRDs) whether in India or globally. The NHRC will on Wednesday organize a programme where Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan will release some NHRC publications for spreading awareness against rights abuses. The slogan of this year's Human Rights Day - 'Human Rights 365', encompasses the idea that every day is Human Rights Day. Sumitra Mahajan calls for balanced view on human rights Last Updated: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - 22:34 New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on Wednesday stressed on the need for balance when considering the human rights of those accused of crime and the victims. "It is important that no one should be in jails for years just like that. But at the same time, what is the circumstance of the victims? ...They do not have just physical wounds, they have mental wounds as well. There should always be a balancing view," Mahajan said, addressing a function organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to observe the Human Rights Day. "There was a question in Parliament recently on undertrials. You (NHRC) have gone to the jails and witnessed the situation... There are talks of crimnals but I think, there should be talks of victims as well. There should be a balance between both," she said. Mahajan also drew attention to the condition of security personnel who have been accused of human rights violations. "When we talk about human rights, there are times, when there are allegations on our security jawans as well...We also have to see under what circumstances they were working. I am talking about everybody. A balanced view is needed presently," she said. She said that violation of rights in households as well as villages should also be given priority and the society needs to give issues like honour killings a serious thought. "When we talk about social stability...The violation of rights in households, one should give importance to that... today honour killing is such a subject which the entire society has to think... What the society wants on this. Our girls are deprived of the right to education today," she said. She noted that if we minutely look at Indian culture, its holy books and thought processes, there is not only talk about human rights in them, it talks about the rights of all the beings which reside in this universe. PTI First Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 - 22:34 Human rights not an outside concept: Lok Sabha speaker IANS | New Delhi December 10, 2014 Last Updated at 21:22 IST Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Wednesday said human rights was not an "outside" concept as Indian culture talks not only of rights of human beings but also gives respect to plants and trees. Addressing a function organised to mark Human Rights Day here, she said it was sad to see girls, who are in their early 20s, being married off. "Whenever, I go to my constituency and to other areas of the country, I often see girls being married off at very early stage of their lives," Mahajan said. "Why this is being done? It's about her rights, her right to education, her right to choose life partner," she said. The speaker said the concept of human rights and even the rights of non-living things has been imbibed in Indian culture for a long time. "Why it seems that the concept of human rights has come from outside... it's been there in our country for a long time. Here we not only talk about human rights but the rights of trees and even non-living things," she said. Mahajan said every person's rights were equally important and must be protected at all costs. "Women are also humans as they too have similar feelings like men, so they should also be treated as humans when it comes to protecting humans rights," she said. UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon's message was read out on the occasion. The function was attended by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairman K.G. Balakrishnan. Mahajan also released six publications of the NHRC on the occasion. Empower NHRC with penal powers, says Judge Manipal, DEC 10, 2014, DHNS: 'Serious note should be taken against the barbaric violation of human rights in case of sexual atrocities' District and Sessions Judge Shivshankar B Amarannavar asserted that National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should be empowered with penal powers. Speaking after inaugurating the Human Rights day celebrations here on Wednesday, the district judge said that the National Human Rights Commission is born toothless with no punitive powers. It recommends to State for taking action. It makes efforts to take into account the violation of human rights. He opined that serious note should be taken against the barbaric violation of human rights in case of sexual atrocities. He pointed out that the human rights day is celebrated to commemorate the day on which United Nations General Assembly accepted Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on December 10, 1948. The UN decided to celebrate the human rights day on this day in 1950. It represented significant changes from events during World War II and the colonialisation that persisted during that time in the world. Asserting that the main purpose of the celebration is to educate people, the judge said awareness should be created among children and teenagers regarding human rights and importance of upholding these in their own communities. It is to alert people over the instances where UDHR is not recognised or respected. This year’s slogan, Human Rights 365, encompasses the idea that everyday is human rights day. ‘It celebrates the essential proposition in the fundamental rights, that each one of us, everywhere at all time is entitled to, which binds us together as a global community’. Stating that SC has expanded the scope of the right to life, he said the directive principles of State policy also act as guidelines while framing the human rights. Pointing out that India has not recognised some rights, he said the issue of abolition of capital punishment continues to be the topic of deliberation. Similar is the case with right to abortion and euthanasia. Even the attempt to suicide is punishable under IPC 309. Despite several attempts to make it unconstitutional, the SC has made it clear that right to life does not include right to die. The Government should enact the laws and see that whether it is infringed. Speaking on the occasion, SP Rajendra Prasad said the police are always viewed as the most violators of human rights. It was slightly true in the previous years due to unavailability of techniques to track the truth, except third degree method and torture in the custody. However, the scenario is changed owing to many number of scientific methods like narco analysis, DNA test, calligraphic test, DNA and so on, he said and added that district police complaint authority would be shortly set up in Udupi district. Deputy Commissioner Dr R Vishal said officials play a major role in sustaining the human rights. India will have the highest number of populace in the working age group in the next 20 years. He said the right to education, skill development and employment opportunities are the need of the hour. He opined that if India has 10 per cent growth rate subsequently every year in the next 10 years, only then India can utilise the demographic dividend. Development is something wherein every person has the voice. He lamented that 90 per cent of the accused punished for capital punishment are poor, adivasis, SC/ST and minorities. They had no sufficient legal services. Published on: Dec 10 2014 12:31AMSUICIDE OR HONOUR KILLING NHRC orders DIG to probe Kalayat teenager’s death Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 9 Over a month after the hurried cremation of a teenager in Kalayat, the cause of her death continues to be shrouded in mystery. While the police and family are sticking to a “suicide” theory, an RTI activist, Baljit Singh Nayak, has termed it as “honour killing”. Questioning the role of the police in hushing up the case, he has moved the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the matter. The NHRC has directed the DIG (investigation) to submit a report in four weeks in a case where a case of fiddling with the deceased’s skull for the purpose of black magic was slapped on the complainant, Surender, by the girl’s family.

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