Madhya Pradesh has several marginalised sections of society and the National Human Rights Commission wishes to impress upon the State regime the need to improve the situation related to violations, NHRC chairman Justice KG Balakrishnan said.
Inaugurating the NHRC’s three-day ‘Open Hearing’ and ‘Camp Sitting’ in this City of lakes, Justice Balakrishnan said, “The Commission has been organising such public hearings in different States to reach out to people and obtain a firsthand account of problems faced by Dalits and issues of rights’ violations. The visits are aimed at helping State Governments promote good governance.”
Earlier, the NHRC’s Registrar (law) AK Garg said, “While the Commission conducted enquiries in matters of violation, it will be unjust to people if State authorities delay implementation of recommendations or submission of reports.” The NHRC heard 74 fresh complaints at the Open Hearing in three benches headed by Justice Balakrishnan, Justice Cyriac Joseph and SC Sinha respectively and made recommendations.
The complaints primarily related to discrimination, land compensation, false implication, payment of retiral benefits, granting of Scheduled Caste (SC) status, payment of relief, rehabilitation and compensation on displacement. In the Camp sitting on Thursday, 45 cases shall be taken up by the full Commission and its two division benches.
These include matters relating to death of more than 100 persons in a stampede at Datia District’s Ratangarh temple due to the state regime’s inaction, death in police custody, electrocution fatalities, indignity to women, discrimination against SC children in schools, non-payment of pensions, irregularities in government hospitals etc.