NEW DELHI: Amid protests over lynching, discrimination towards a community and fear in society, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is quietly working on a dozen targets for a peaceful and inclusive society and to provide access to justice for all. A secret note reviewed by The Sunday Standard reveals that the MHA is liasioning with stakeholders to reduce all forms of violence across the country. The MHA, responsible for internal security and headed by Rajnath Singh, will review its achievements every year. On top of the home minister’s agenda is to protect fundamental freedoms in accordance with national legislation and to promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies.
“End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children. Promote rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all,” the note said.
Government officials will examine data of victims of human trafficking by sex, age and form of exploitation as well as proportion of crimes against children every year to author a vision document highlighting measures to eradicated this menace. The MHA will be assisted by the Ministry of Law and Social Justice to work on increasing the number of courts per lakh population and judges.As per data, 6,877 human trafficking cases were registered in India in 2015 as compared to 5,466 in 2014, an increase of 25.8 per cent. Cases of procuring minor girls increased by 52.8 per cent in 2015 as compared to 2014.
“Strengthen relevant national institutions for building capacity at all levels, in particular in developing countries, to prevent violence, and combat terrorism and crime and promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies,” the note added. The MHA has another important task at hand—to increase the proportion of SCs and STs in elected bodies. The ministry will require to take measures to ensure “responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels”.
In the next five years, the MHA will devise a mechanism to reduce illicit financial and arms flows, and strengthen law enforcement agencies to combat organised crime. Another mammoth task is to reduce corruption and bribery.In its latest report, corruption watchdog Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) stated it received 51,207 complaints (including brought forward) during 2016, out of which 48,764 were disposed of. The CVC tendered advice in 3,804 cases in 2016, including advice of initiation of major penalty proceedings in 460 cases and minor penalty proceedings in 183 cases. In the global corruption index, India ranks 79 out of 176 countries in the report released by Transparency International in January 2017.
CHALLENGES FOR MHA
■ Protect fundamental freedoms in accordance with national legislation
■ Promote rule of law and ensure equal access to justice for all
■ To ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels
■ Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development
■ End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against and torture of children
■ Reduce corruption and bribery