THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Terming the current situation in the country as ‘dangerous,’ human rights activist and Magsaysay Award winner Bezwada Wilson said people who speak the truth need a sanctuary as they are in danger of being killed by fundamentalists.
Wilson was delivering the 12th Pinto Lecture on the topic ‘Human rights and fights in the current Indian context’ at the Press Club here on Wednesday. Referring to the recent cases of lynching reported from across the country, Wilson said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had only said such incidents were unacceptable. Instead, the Prime Minister should have warned the perpetrators of stringent action, Wilson said.
He said a ‘criminal silence’ was being observed in the country against such excesses. Why has no judge in the country taken suo motu case against the violence, Wilson said. He criticised the judiciary for its handling of the case relating to prevention of manual scavenging. “Justice in the country is in danger. The marginalised sections of society are still fighting for justice as hunger and poverty have not been wiped out from our society,” he said.
Wilson said manual scavenging was still prevalent in many parts of the country.
Remembering activist and writer C Pinto and his struggle against commercialisation of medical education, Wilson said there was a need to create a new society where humanity is protected. Only then can the ideals of people like Pinto be realised, he said.