Bring out ordinance to pass human rights legislation: Activists

Though the last session of the 15th Lok Sabha ended Friday, thousands of people, including activists, continued their protest here and demanded the government bring out an ordinance on three pending human rights legislations, including the Grievance Redress Bill.

Parliament has passed the Whistle Blowers Bill and the Street Vendors Bill, but the Grievance Redress Bill, Disability Rights Bill and Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment bill, are still pending, said activists.

"It is shameful that parliament was not passing key human rights bills pending for several years," Anjali Bhardwaj of the National Campaign for Peoples' Right to Information told IANS.

She said that all the bills pending in parliament had wide political consensus and they could have been easily passed if parliamentarians had the political will.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who has been urging for parliament to pass six anti-corruption bills, is to meet the protesters.

The Rajya Sabha Friday passed the Whistle Blowers Bill. This is the only one of the six anti-graft bills that could be passed in this session.

Bhardwaj said that since the house was adjourned sine die, the protesters would meet political leaders to urge for parliament to be reconvened at least for a day to pass all the bills.

"Parliament needs to be reconvened or the government should come up with an ordinance so that the bills do not get lapsed," she said.