BENGALURU: Attended by members of more than 25 human rights organisations, including activist Irom Sharmila, the public consultation to prepare a human rights manifesto in the run up to the state Assembly elections held at Indian Social Institute recently saw demands like repealing of the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act, strict implementation of the Social Security Act, increase of women's presence in the state police force, among others.
An analysis of the manifestoes of the BJP, Congress, JD (S), and CPI (M) in the previous Assembly polls showed negligible mention of human rights issues. This document will be submitted to all political parties to incorporate it in their manifestoes and deliver on it. It was organised by South India Cell for Human Rights, Education and Monitoring and the human rights unit of Indian Social Institute.
The document looked at vigilantism, civil and political rights, women's and child rights, rights of the differently-abled, sexual minorities, tribal rights, rights of SCs/STs, pourakarmikas, grave diggers, minorities, unorganised sector, and migrants. The recommendations accepted by the GoI in the Universal Periodic Review (UPR III) of the UN Human Rights Commission was presented as a backgrounder.
Irom Sharmila slams racial attacks
AFSPA activist Irom Sharmila and her husband Desmond Coutinho participated in the drafting of the manifesto. She said, “There are job seekers from the north east. They should not be discriminated. Stop racial attacks against them. Also, there should be no draconian laws in Karnataka that gives a free hand to the police like how AFSPA gives the Army.”