New Delhi, 12 October: Prime Minister Narendra Modi cautioned against the selective approach of human rights and the use of human rights to tarnish the image of the country, saying it is dangerous for democracy. He said that in the name of human rights some people try to malign the image of the country; we need to be aware of it.
Addressing the 28th Foundation Day celebrations of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) through video conferencing on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said that recently some people have started interpreting human rights from their own perspective as per their own interests.
He said that in the same type of incident some people see human rights violation and in any other similar incident the same people do not see human rights violation. This type of trend has done great harm to human rights.
PM Modi also said that the greatest violation of human rights occurs when it is seen through the prism of politics and political gain and loss.
The Prime Minister warned that this selective behaviour is equally harmful to democracy.
He said that India’s freedom movement and its history have been a great source of inspiration for India for its values โโof human rights and human rights.
Remembering Mahatma Gandhi, the Prime Minister said, โAs a nation, as a society we have resisted injustice and atrocities, we fought for our rights for centuries. At a time when the whole world was engulfed in the violence of World War I, India suggested the path of ‘rights and non-violence’ to the whole world. Not only India but the whole world sees our Bapu as a symbol of human rights and human values.
He said that despite the disillusionment and confusion of the world on many occasions, India has remained firm and sensitive towards human rights.
The Prime Minister said that the concept of human rights is closely related to the dignity of the poor.
He said that when the poorest of the poor do not get equal share of government schemes, then the question of rights arises.
The Prime Minister mentioned the efforts of the government to ensure the dignity of the poor.
He told that when a poor person gets a toilet to get rid of open defecation, he gets respect. Similarly, a poor person who hesitates to enter a bank gets a Jan Dhan account, which ensures his dignity. Similarly, measures like RuPay card, Ujjwala gas connection and property rights to pucca houses for women are major steps in that direction.
Giving details of the work done in the last few years, the Prime Minister added that the country has also tried to remove the injustice being done at different levels in different sections.
He said, โFor decades Muslim women were demanding a law against triple talaq. We have given new rights to Muslim women by enacting a law against triple talaq.
The Prime Minister said that many sectors have been opened for women and it has been ensured that they can work round the clock with security.
He said that India has ensured 26 weeks of paid maternity leave for working women, a feat which even many developed countries could not achieve.
Similarly, the Prime Minister referred to the measures taken by the government for trans-gender, children and nomadic and semi-nomadic communities.
Recalling the performance of para-athletes in the recent Paralympics, the Prime Minister said that in recent years laws have been enacted for persons with disabilities. They have been added with new features. Divyang friendly buildings are being built and standardization of language for the differently abled is being done.
Modi said that the poor, helpless and senior citizens were given financial assistance directly in their accounts during the pandemic. The implementation of One Nation-One Ration Card helped the migrant labourers a lot.
The Prime Minister said that it is important to understand that human rights are not only related to rights but it is also a matter of our duties.
Stating that “Rights and Duties are the two tracks on which the journey of human development and human dignity takes place, he stressed that duties are as important as rights and should not be discussed separately as they are related to each other”.
The Prime Minister concluded by mentioning the human rights of future generations. He emphasized that with measures such as the International Solar Alliance, renewable energy goals and the Hydrogen Mission, India is moving rapidly towards sustainable living and environment-friendly development.
