Giving a clean chit to the Akhilesh Yadav regime on Muzaffarnagar riots, the National Human Rights Commission said the State Government had done a commendable job in rehabilitating 51,000 displaced persons, and also denied bulldozing of any relief camp.
“The Commission appreciates the rehabilitation of 51,000 displaced persons. It was a daunting task and the State Government has by and large done a good job,” NHRC Chairman, Justice (Retd) KG Balakrishnan, told reporters here on Friday. He said the only lacuna that the Commission found was that medical and sanitation facilities at the camps were not adequate.
On repeated media queries regarding the camps being bulldozed in Muzaffarnagar giving a wrong picture of rehabilitation of the riot victims, the NHRC Chairperson said the camps were not bulldozed and the NHRC officials would monitor the situation.
Justice (Retd) Balakrishnan said the issue of rehabilitation of victims of communal violence in Muzaffarnagar and Shamli was taken up with the state Government. He said the Government informed the Commission that about 51,000 persons were displaced from their native villages and they took shelter in 58 camps in the two districts and now there were only two major camps and some satellite camps in which 2,600 displaced persons were staying.
“The others have either returned to their native places or have settled at other places,” he said. The NHRC chairperson said that the Government also stated that 47 persons, including children, had died in the camps till December 3, 2013. “The Commission has asked the State Government to look into the cause of death of these persons and give reasonable compensation to the bereaved families. The State Government has also been asked to provide adequate protection against winter to the persons staying in the camps,” he added.
Justice (Retd) Balakrishnan said the state Government stated that 13 cases of violence against women were registered but no arrest had been made so far in these cases as several cases were under investigation. He said the Commission asked the Government to ensure quick and expeditious action in these cases so that the displaced women felt safe and secure.
On repeated media query regarding the authenticity of the state Government’s statement on the Muzaffarnagar situation, the NHRC chairperson said the Commission would be monitoring the situation further. He said that 90 cases of death in encounters and police custody were taken up.
“A total amount of 1.2050 crore has been recommended by the Commission to be paid to the next of kin of the deceased persons in 25 cases. During the hearing of the cases, the Commission noticed that there was considerable room for improvement in CB CID investigation of encounters and custodial deaths,” he said.
Justice (Retd) Balakrishnan said the Commission had interaction with some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) who complained that the police were insensitive and biased against women.
“An NGO that gave shelter to a victim of sexual assault complained that the accused persons attacked its office and forcibly took away two female workers. Although the police were informed, no action was taken against the culprits,” he said. The NHRC chairperson said that the commission was receiving a large number of complaints about non-registration of complaints of offences against women. He said the non-registration of FIR had now been made a punishable act under the law and the State Government was asked to sensitise the police officers about the new provisions introduced in law.