A high-level delegation of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) led by Chairperson Justice KG Balakrishnan comprising Members Justice Cyriac Joseph, Justice D Murugesan, SC Sinha and senior officers will be visiting Bhopal in connection with the Commission’s open hearing and camp sitting being held at the Academy of Administration and Management, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, for three days from September 10 to 12.
Justice Balakrishnan will inaugurate the open hearing at 10 am on September 10 at the Academy. 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.
The aim of the Camp Sitting is to dispose of pending cases concerning one particular State by hearing the senior Government officers; sensitize them about the importance of human rights issues; compliance of NHRC recommendations by them and meet the local NGOs
to get an insight into the problems being faced by
the people.
The points of discussion with senior officers will also include atrocities on Scheduled Castes and other depressed sections of society. The Commission has been actively engaged in protection and promotion of the rights of Scheduled Castes.
Apart from taking cognizance suo-motu and on complaints relating to atrocities against Scheduled Castes, the Commission has also engaged key stakeholders on the issue; published booklets; and held training programmes and workshops aimed at sensitizing various stakeholders on the issue so as to eliminate atrocities, discrimination, and any other form of violation of their human rights.