Programme On “Protection of Human Rights "
A.S. Venkatachalamoorthy, Chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission (third right), Director General of Police (Prisons), R. Nataraj (second right), Commissioner of Police, K.C. Mahali (right), Inspector-General of Police and Director of Investigations of SHRC, C.K. Gandhirajan (fourth right) and Inspector-General of Police, West Zone, Pramod Kumar (second left), at a programme organised in Coimbatore on Tuesday to sensitise police officers to human rights. Chairperson of the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) retired Justice A.S. Venkatachalamoorthy on Tuesday called up on all Government agencies and personnel in the uniformed services to go by the legal provisions to avoid instances of rights violations. He also said that attempts to misuse or abuse the Human Rights provisions should be prevented.
He was speaking at a one-day programme on “Protection of Human Rights and to Promote Awareness on Human Rights Literacy” organised by the SHRC at the Police Commissioner’s office. He said that the SHRC never advocated for any mercy for accused or criminal in the name of human rights but was only asking the agencies to adhere to legal provisions. In the event of violations, misuse or abuse, the SHRC could only make recommendations. He called for whole hearted participation of every one for protection of human rights. Director-General of Police (Prisons) R. Nataraj said that judicious assertion of human rights was paramount for creating a wealthy and rich human resource.
Police excesses and outrages alone never constituted rights’ violations. He also expressed concern at innocent persons being sent to remand owing to lack or failure to investigate into complaints. Inspector-General of Police and Director of Investigations of SHRC, C.K. Gandhirajan said that any agency entrusted with the task of enforcing the law was found to face charges of right violations.
He also pointed out that the number of complaints of rights’ violation relating to prison department was on the decline because of the ongoing reforms. Violation of rights by personnel which are stray incidents often led to a sweeping generalisation sullying the image of the entire agency or force.
City Police Commissioner K.C. Mahali said that discharge of duty by personnel and officers should be as per law. He said that scientific methods of investigations should be adopted rather than resorting to the conventional use of force for extracting the truth or recovery. Inspector-General of Police, West Zone, Pramod Kumar said that for more than one-and-a-half decades there had been debates on human rights but lot of people were not fully aware of the definition of human rights. Failing to act within the frame work of law or failing to act at all also could amount to rights violations.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Coimbatore Range, P. Sivanandi, exhorted the police personnel to ensure that they never violated rights. Personnel in the rank of constables and head constables always had an interface with the people, hence there was a need for sensitising them.K. Sokkalingam, Superintendent of Police, SHRC, welcomed the gathering. Superintendent of Police, N. Kannan, Deputy Commissioners of Police, K. Shanmugavel (Law and Order), N. Kamini (Crime and Traffic), P. Nagarajan (Headquarters) also addressed the meeting.
