We must consider human rights of terror victims also: Prasad

Cross-border terrorism victims should be looked through the prism of human rights, and the NHRC should seriously examine these cases by going beyond the conventional perspective of violations, Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said today.
"State was all mighty, police has all the power, that their excesses constitute violation of human rights, that is the conventional view. But today, there are people and organisations consciously and deliberately raising the flag of terrorism.
"Children, their parents and security too are killed. Terrorists come and kill with impunity, CRPF jawans, their vehicles tossed up in a blast and they are killed... What about the human rights of the victims and their family," Prasad asked.

He was speaking at a function here to mark the foundation day of the National Human Rights Commission.
"When we talk of human rights, we must consider human rights of victims of terror also," he said.
"There are conventional scheme of things on rights issue, but there are people who are abusing their rights with AK-47 in their hands, with grenade bombs with instigation from across the border, and killing the innocent with impunity, we need to revisit the concept of the rights of these victims' family," the minister said.

"Human rights of victims of terror as well as family members of men who sacrifice their lives fighting terrorists should also be protected," he said in a tweet.

The Law and Justice Minister, who also holds the portfolio of Electronics and Information Technology, said there is need to focus on the rights of people suffering from HIV-AIDS and cancer as well.
(Reopens DEL 73)
The minister emphasised on using information technology platform to further spread human rights awareness and education.
He also stressed on the need for legal learning of the marginalised sections of the people, like tribals and Scheduled Caste community, who are unaware about various rights and legal remedies.
"There is a greater scope for using the tools of Information Technology for spreading awareness about human rights," he tweeted.

"In a country of 1.25 billion people, we have 1.03 billion mobile phones, 105 crore of them have digital Aadhar, 40 crore Internet users and it will reach 50 crore by early next year.
"I have tremendous faith in people of this country... people who have proved wrong all those who doubted us. People who thought India would fail, but, 70 years alter, we are still a stable democracy," he added.
"I commend and compliment NHRC for completing 23 years, and the whole journey of the NHRC should serve as a beacon to other emerging nations... As the human rights values have today taken centre stage," he said.

State human rights commissions are currently in 26 states and they enjoy autonomy.
NHRC chief Justice H L Dattu in his address said in order to strengthen human rights protection mechanism within the country, the Commission has taken numerous initiatives to strengthen and improve the operational capacities of State Human Rights Commissions.
"It has also proposed to the Government of India for suitable amendments in the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 so as to provide for the setting up for human rights Commission in the Union Territories as well," he said.
He also highlighted the NHRC's Short Film Award Scheme, which has generated tremendous response reflected through 94 entries received from different parts of the country this year compared to about 48 entries last year.

Former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnan, members of the NHRC and heads of various state human rights commissions were also present on the occasion.