Ignorance of law cited as cause for rights violations

Lack of awareness was the main reason for human rights violations in India, State Secretary of People’s Union for Civil Liberties S. Balamurugan told a gathering of students at Sathyamangalam recently.

Speaking at a programme organised at Bannari Amman Institute of Technology by Sudar, a non-governmental organisation, under the aegis of NSS, Mr. Balamurugan said a healthy society warrants knowledge about laws among students of both schools and colleges.

The law for human rights protection was passed in India in 1993, and subsequently the National Human Rights Commission and the State Human Rights Commissions were formed. But, these bodies are now able to make only recommendations for action to the governments. They must be granted powers for executing their orders as well, Mr. Balamurugan emphasised.

College Principal K. Saravanan presided.

Retired Deputy Commissioner of Police R. Chakravarthy described the activities of National Human Rights Commission, and R. Shanthi, Professor, spoke on Women and Child Rights, while Advocate Mohan and Murugappan, Professor handled sessions on bonded labourers and child labourers respectively.