This matter concerns
not only the life and the reputation of a human rights defender, but also the
very legitimacy of human rights work in general.
Mysterious silence of NHRC in my case: Testimony of Lenin Raghuvanshi
Since
1993, I am working as a full time Human Rights Defender, for rights of
survivors, in India. I live under constant death threats for my human rights
work. Threat, intimidation, attack, false implication and defamation are
occupational hazards of the process of social transformation towards a plural
democracy based on rule of law, non-violence and justice. But, mysterious
non-support of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), a premier human
rights institution of India, in my cases as a Human Rights Defender, is a real
life-time surprise for me.
I am busy in supporting the NHRC to deliver justice
for the survivors of Human Rights abuses, since its inception. However, some
system in the NHRC is bent on helping malign my image, or delaying the support
process, or eye-wash tactics in matters related to my rights as a Human Rights
Defender. An urgent appeal of the Asian Human Rights Commission, based in Hong
Kong, (The National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) of India fails to provide adequate remedy to a human rights defender in
Uttar Pradesh), is a classic example.
Every time, the Honourable High Courts of UP and
Delhi have provided me with immediate and effective remedies, in comparison to
the Human Rights Defenders desk of the NHRC. I appeal to the NHRC for a Central
Bureau of Investigation (CBI) enquiry into the systematic attack on me and
Shruti Nagvanshi, due to People's Vigilance Committee on Human Rights'
(PVCHR's) support to a woman survivor and her family. But, there is no step
towards any independent investigation by the NHRC, or real time support by
Human Rights defenders desk too. There is only one trend, that justice delay is
justice denied. (Case No. 4419/24/72/2013, 15443/24/72/2013, 15444/24/72/2013,
22763/24/72/2013, 23165/24/72/2013 & 39430/24/72/2013)
In this case, we criticized the national and
international players through our writing on blog and emailing such as this. Now, a few
international players are involved, to oppose us to establish the era of
'corporate fascism' in context of 'sectarian fascism' of Hindutva.
Simultaneously, Shruti Nagvanshi and Shirin Shabana
Khan intervened in the case of rape of a Danish woman, at Paharganj police
station in New Delhi. Both of them are first complaints to the NHRC, but the
NHRC did not send a report to them for comment, and marked the case as a closed
case'.
Edmund Burke rightly says, "All tyranny needs
to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent." So,
we are continuously pursuing the case for justice. We received the consequence
of false implication by the police of Paharganj Police Station in New Delhi. I,
and associates of PVCHR, filed many petitions, but the NHRC responded as mere
eye-wash tactics. We received surprised responses from the Home Ministry of
India and office of Honourable President of India, but there is a mysterious
silence of the NHRC. Why?
India should develop a national law for the
protection of human rights defenders, and strengthen the capacity and mandate
of the NHRC's focal point on defenders.
The NHRC needs to establish and resource a
full-time dedicated focal point, to intervene in cases where human rights
defenders are at risk, and to investigate and promote accountability where
threats and attacks occur.
This matter concerns not only the life and the
reputation of a human rights defender, but also the very legitimacy of human
rights work in general.
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