New Delhi:

A day after President Droupadi Murmu appointed former Supreme Court judge Justice V Ramasubramanian as National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson, the main opposition Congress issued a dissent note today and said the selection process was “fundamentally flawed”.

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and his Rajya Sabha counterpart Mallikarjun Kharge have recorded their dissent “without prejudice to the names of the Chairperson and members approved by the Selection Committee”.

The two leaders have said the selection committee meeting took place on Wednesday. “It was a pre-determined exercise that ignored the established tradition of mutual consultation and consensus, which is essential in such matters. This departure undermines the principles of fairness and impartiality, which are critical to the credibility of the Selection Committee. Instead of fostering deliberation and ensuring a collective decision, the Committee relied on its numerical majority to finalise the names, disregarding the legitimate concerns and perspectives raised during the meeting,” they said in the dissent note.

The Opposition leaders said the NHRC is a vital statutory body tasked with safeguarding the fundamental human rights of all citizens, particularly those from marginalised sections of society. “Its ability to fulfil this mandate depends significantly on the inclusiveness and representativeness of its composition. A diverse leadership ensures that the NHRC remains sensitive to the unique challenges faced by various communities, especially those most vulnerable to human rights violations,” they said.

The Congress leaders had proposed the names of former Supreme Court judges, Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman and Justice KM Joseph for the chairperson’s post, “keeping in mind both merit and the need for inclusivity”.

“Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, a distinguished jurist from the minority Parsi community, is renowned for his intellectual depth and unwavering commitment to constitutional values. His inclusion would send a strong message about the NHRC’s dedication to representing India’s pluralistic society. Similarly, Justice Kuttiyil Mathew Joseph, a former Supreme Court judge, belonging to minority Christian community, has consistently delivered judgments that emphasize individual freedoms and the protection of marginalized groups, making him an ideal candidate for this critical position,” they said.

For the positions of NHRC members, the Congress leaders said, they had recommended the names of Justice S Muralidhar, former Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, and Justice Akil Abdulhamid Qureshi, former Chief Justice of Rajasthan and Tripura high courts.

“Justice S Muralidhar is widely respected for his landmark judgments advancing social justice, including his work on custodial violence and the protection of civil liberties. Justice Akil Abdulhamid Qureshi, belonging to the Muslim minority community, has consistently defended constitutional principles and demonstrated a strong commitment to accountability in governance. Their inclusion would contribute to the NHRC’s effectiveness and its commitment to diversity,” the dissent note said.

“Thirdly, while merit is undeniably the primary criterion, maintaining a balance that reflects the regional, caste, community, and religious diversity of the nation is equally important. This balance ensures that the NHRC operates with an inclusive perspective, sensitive to the lived experiences of all sections of society. By neglecting this critical principle, the Committee risks eroding public trust in this esteemed institution,” it added. The Congress leaders flagged the “dismissive approach” adopted by the majority of the Selection Committee and termed it “deeply regrettable”. “The NHRC’s credibility and effectiveness depend on its ability to embody the diversity and inclusiveness that define India’s constitutional ethos. The names we proposed reflect this spirit and align with the foundational principles of the Commission. Their exclusion raises significant concerns about the impartiality and fairness of the selection process,” they said.

While Justice Ramasubramanian was named NHRC chairperson, Priyank Kanoongo and Dr Justice Bidyut Ranjan Sarangi have been appointed members of the rights panel. While Mr Kanoongo is the former chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Justice Sarangi is the former Chief Justice of Jharkhand High Court.

New Delhi:

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report stating that at least 10 newborn babies lost their lives in a fire that broke out in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmibai Medical College in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, according to a press release.

In addition to the fatalities, 16 babies sustained injuries, while 37 were rescued. Police authorities have reportedly confirmed that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. The deceased infants were in incubators at the time of the incident.

The NHRC, in its statement, described the media report as deeply distressing, highlighting that the incident points to negligence and constitutes a grave violation of the human rights of the victims, who were under the care of a government institution.

The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, seeking a detailed report on the incident within one week.

According to the release, the report should cover the status of the FIR registered, actions taken against responsible officials, medical treatment provided to the injured, and compensation, if any, paid to the affected families.

“The Commission would also like to know about the steps taken or proposed by the authorities to prevent such incidents in the future,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 2 lakh from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) for the next of kin of each deceased.

“PM Narendra Modi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF for the next of kin of each deceased in the fire at Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh. The injured will receive Rs. 50,000,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) posted on X.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also expressed his condolences and announced financial aid of Rs. 5 lakh for the parents of the newborns who perished in the incident. He has directed local authorities, including the Divisional Commissioner and Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Jhansi, to submit a report on the incident within 12 hours.

Additionally, the Uttar Pradesh government has pledged Rs. 50,000 to the families of the injured from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Violence adversely impacts free and fair polls and the State must “ensure violence-free elections” so that citizens enjoy their fundamental democratic rights, NHRC chairperson Justice (retired) Arun Kumar Mishra said on Thursday.

In his address at an event held here to mark the 30th anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), he also appealed to authorities to provide Aadhaar cards to beggars, transgenders, sex workers, orphans and trafficked minors in “mission mode”.

The NHRC Foundation Day function was attended by former president Ram Nath Kovind as the chief guest.

Addressing the event, Mr Mishra said, “Our Constitution guarantees a range of fundamental rights, which reflect the principle of right to life with equality, justice, freedom, and dignity that are at the core of human rights.” He also said that the NHRC is to provide support to those who have none.

“Our Constitution aims for justice for all. Equality cannot be achieved without an independent and impartial judiciary. The separation of power under Article 50 of the Constitution of India ensures the same,” Justice (retired) Mishra said.

The rights panel chief said human rights include the right to vote and participate in elections to elect the government.

“Violence adversely impacts free and fair elections. The State must ensure violence-free elections so that citizens enjoy fundamental democratic rights,” he added.

He lamented that the “falling standard of media debates” is a cause for concern.

“The responsibility of all concerned is to ensure that their imprint on the younger generation is not uncivil debate and dialogue,” he said.

In his address, he also said that corruption compromises the fundamental dignity of humans.

“The evil of corruption destroys our souls…. This is unacceptable in any civilised society. We must unite to root out this menace with iron hands, which is an impediment to development,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission of India (NHRC), Arun Kumar Mishra on Saturday said that the global community should not be bothered about India’s situation, adding he does not find any “gross violation” of human rights taking place at present. 

The NHRC chairperson was referring to some foreign agencies taking up Human Rights violations in India at the international level. 

Mr Mishra said that it is not the correct state of affairs, to say there is a rise in human rights violations in the country on the basis of the ‘Manipur incident’. 

“Manipur is isolated, an incident where ethnic violence is going on, and as the Human Rights Commission, we have done our duty to ensure that the two groups who were fighting with each other on ethnic issues should not continue too long,” he said. 

He also said, “So to say that there is an increase in human rights violations in India on the basis of only the incident of Manipur cannot be said to be the correct state of affairs. I do not find there is any gross violation of human rights taking place at present. And the global community should not be bothered about our situation.”

Mr Mishra added that based on data it cannot be said that there is an escalation in the complaints regarding human rights violations in the past three decades. 

“If we go by our records and the incidents which have taken place in the past three decades, I do not find that it can be said based on data that there is an escalation in the complaints regarding human rights violations in India. Be that as it may, if these reports are based only on the Manipur incident, that cannot be attributed to the human rights situation throughout India,” he said. 

The NHRC chief emphasized that there is no reason to say the human rights situation is deteriorating in India, further questioning the reports that the foreign agencies refer to. 

“Actually, the world has become so smaller. I do not know how they are fed, how they appreciate their reports, and on what basis their assessment is based. But if we see it objectively, there is no reason to say that the human rights situation in India is deteriorating or has deteriorated or there is a violation,” Mishra said. 

He pointed out that the Human Rights Commission exists because human rights violations can take place everywhere in every country, and added that the world community has to come together to solve these issues. 

“These are the incidents of violation which are common in every country. We are receiving those complaints which must be common in every country. Human rights violations can take place everywhere in every country. That’s why the Human Rights Commission exists. This is a situation and the world community has to come together to solve these things. And if we say that it is singly happening in India, it’s not correct,” he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)