Jharkhand to get human rights panel, finally

Panel to contain harassment of villagers in the name of 'anti-Maoist' operations

GN Bureau | March 4, 2010



Nine years after receiving statehood, Jharkhand will finally get a human rights commission that will work towards containing harassment and torture of villagers in the name of 'anti-Maoist' operations.

The Jharkhand cabinet on Wednesday cleared the government proposal to set up the commission, but the government is yet to work out the details about the commission's functioning and governing body. At present the state police has a human rights cell which has not been able to take of many cases due to the lack of adequate manpower.

"The formation of a human rights commission was necessary as there are scores of examples of violation of the same in anti-Maoist operations. Villagers are needlessly harassed and tortured in the name of anti-Maoist operations," a senior government official said in New Delhi on Thursday.

Chief minister Shibu Soren had asked the district police chiefs last month to review cases of villagers lodged in jails on charges of being Maoists.

The Human Rights Act of 1993 directs all states to constitute the commission to safeguard civil and individual rights.

 

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