A high level delegation of the National Human Rights Commission, led by its Chairperson, Justice K.G. Balakrishnan will hold an open hearing and camp sitting in Bhopal from September 10 to 12.
Besides the Chairperson, the team would comprise of Members, Justice Cyriac Joseph, Justice D. Murugesan, and S.C. Sinha and senior officers of the Commission. The programme would be held at RCVP Noronha Academy of Administration and Management.
On the first day, the Commission will hear 74 complaints of aggrieved people belonging to Scheduled Caste communities and the problems faced by them in seeking justice from the Government agencies.
These complaints were received in response to the public notice published in the national and local dailies. In connection with these complaints, the responses of the concerned authorities have been called, which will be taken up during the open hearing in the presence of senior officers and the complainants.
On the second day, 45 pending cases will be taken up in a camp sitting by the full Commission at the same venue. These cases include matters relating to the stampede at Ratangarh temple in Datia district of Madhya Pradesh last year due to alleged inaction by the State Government, deaths in police custody, indignity to women, and discrimination against SC children in schools.
On the concluding day, the Commission will hold a meeting with local NGOs on human rights issues for one hour from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and thereafter have discussions with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police, district magistrates, superintendents of police, and other senior civil, police and jail officers on the issues raised by the NGOs and on the issues raised during the open hearing and the camp sitting.
The three-day programme is being held in different States as a follow to the recommendation of a panel that the Commission organise such sessions at least once a year so that victims of atrocities could present their experiences and grievances in seeking justice from Government agencies and to enable human rights bodies, non-governmental organizations, social workers and activists apprise the Commission of difficulties encountered by them in taking up their complaints.
