NHRC to hold open sitting in Dantewada

Ignoring the plea of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs MHA against venturing into Naxalism-infested Chhattisgarh for a camp sitting

Ignoring the plea of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs MHA against venturing into Naxalism-infested Chhattisgarh for a camp sitting,the National Human Rights Commission NHRC is all set to hold hearings and decide complaints in the state on April 11 and 12. Not just this,in what could be first such instance,two members will also go to the heart of Naxal territory Dantewada and interact with the public there for one day.

Sources told The Indian Express that a senior MHA functionary recently called an NHRC officer and advised against carrying on with the proposed visit. The MHA functionary is learnt to have cited security threats from Naxals as one of the reasons for the advice.

However,the issue was discussed at the NHRC and following a strong view taken by NHRC chairperson Justice K G Balakrishnan,it was decided to undertake the visit.

While there are security concerns,we felt that we should carry on with the visit. After all,arent Naxals also citizens of India? said a senior NHRC officer.

The two members who will go to Dantewada are Justice B C Patel and Satyabrata Pal.

It is learnt that among the matters that the Full Commission headed by Justice Balakrishnan will take up include excesses by Salwa Judum members,torture in police custody,atrocities on Scheduled Castes,malnutrition,sexual abuse of students,reconstruction of school buildings damaged or destroyed by Naxalites,death of undertrial prisoner in judicial custody and deaths in alleged fake encounter.

The commission will also hold a meeting with the NGOs,followed by another one with the state Chief Secretary,the DGP,and senior police and civil officers on strategy of the state government to combat Naxalism,atrocities committed on tribals in Bastar and Dantewada by police,security forces and Salwa Judum and education facilities for tribal children in Naxal-affected districts.

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It would also take up seven cases of deaths in police action.

This is not the first time the NHRC is visiting a state to hold sittings. Similar public hearings have been held in the Orissa,Gujarat,Tamil Nadu,Rajasthan and Maharashtra in the recent past. But Chhattisgarh is important due to the Naxal problem, observed an NHRC officer.