'Number of human rights activists decreasing'

Addressing a gathering after inaugurating the people’s audit on police attrocities at the Milagres College here on Saturday, Balamurugan said that the activists should become more active to launch agitation against the bureaucracy and the police to ensure human rights.

“Media persons too were subjected to the attrocities at the hands of the police in the name of democracy. Meanwhile, farmers were forced to surrender their land in the name of development,” he lamented adding that the nation is witnessing the pre-British tyranny even after decades of Independence.

PUCL State General Secretary V N Laxminarayana speaking after releasing the book “Fact-finding reports, NHRC and SHRC cases and related correspondence” published by the Dakshina Kannada district unit of the PUCL, said that awareness should be created among people with regard to the human rights. “People’s representatives, bureaucrats and the police have scant regard towards the common man. Minority and the backward are being deprived of their rights in the society,” he said adding that a revolution should be launched to create awareness on human rights.

In his presidential address, Bar Association President Advocate S P Chengappa said that separatism originated in the nation because of disparity and denial of justice to minority and backward.

Narrating instances of human rights violation taking place in the district, Chengappa said, “even advocates too are not spared when it comes to human rights violation.”

“It is a naked truth that 50 per cent of the convicts lodged in various jails are innocents.

Those who commit murder are being released within weeks, but those who are caught in petty theft cases are sent to jail. This happens not due to the fault in the system, but because of the corrupt officials,” he said and added that the Police Act, which was framed during the British era in 1861 should be reviewed and necessaryamendments should be brought to ensure human rights to the citizens.

High Court former Judge Justice M F Saldanha was present.