NHRC's national seminar on 'Tradition, Culture and Human Rights' at Pune
The National Human Rights Commission in collaboration with the Pune University organized a two-day National Seminar on 'Tradition, Culture and Human Rights' at the University campus in Pune from 6th -7th September, 2012. This was the sixth seminar as part of a series of national seminars in Hindi in different parts of the country by the NHRC for spreading awareness and generating debate on the importance of protection and promotion of human rights.
Inaugurating the seminar, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission said that economic development, directly determines people's human rights including economic, social, civil and political rights. Quoting a Chinese scholar, he said that just as a loaf of bread has higher priority for a hungry person than a bunch of paper of information, the freedom of press has little meaning in a country where most people are illiterate.
Justice Balakrishnan said that India is blessed with various resources, but lacks equal distribution thereof among all its people; otherwise, how else a woman was forced to sell her three little daughters for just Rs. 155/- in Kolkata to buy food. In order to survive, a person must have basic right to food, shelter and clothing. Justice Balakrishnan said that it is consistent endeavour of the NHRC that all the citizens get their economic and social rights. He said that the Right to food and work is now gaining importance as fundamental rights.
He said that the Pune University is a great centre of knowledge and learning, and described his visit to its campus as a pilgrimage. He said that universities and schools could play a major role in spreading awareness about various aspects of human rights.
Speaking on the occasion Prof. W.N. Gade, Vice-Chancellor of Pune University said that there is a need to have social audit of all the social welfare schemes in the country to see why things were not changing on the ground in the remote areas of our country. Why our three pillars of democracy - legislature, judiciary and executive have had not been able to change the mind-set of some people. He said that an institution like the NHRC is best to do this analysis. Prof. Gade suggested that like many other institutions, the NHRC should consider establishing a human rights chair in the Pune University, which has now 22 such professors in different departments doing excellent work.
Noted scholar, Prof. Nand Kishore Acharya said that there is a challenge of aggressive cultural groups threatening development of individuals from other groups. He said that if everything was right about our culture and tradition, there would have been no talk of promotion and protection of human rights. In fact, the concept of human rights in itself is a new culture giving direction to human life.
Several prominent speakers including, among others, senior journalist, Mr. Achyutananda Mishra, former Secretary, Sahitya Academy and noted litterateur, Prof. Indranath Chowdhary, Registrar, University of Pune, Dr. M.L. Jadhav, Hindi litterateur, Arunesh 'Neeran', the Head, Department of Law, University of Pune, Prof. (Dr.) T.S.N. Shastry, former Secretary, Government of India, Mrs. Veena Upadhyay, Joint Secretary (Trg.), NHRC, Mr. J.S. Kochher, also addressed the seminar on different aspects of the human rights. Dr. S.K. Shukla, Assistant Director (O.L.), NHRC who coordinated the seminar, highlighted its significance.
Inaugurating the seminar, Mr. Justice K.G. Balakrishnan, Chairperson, National Human Rights Commission said that economic development, directly determines people's human rights including economic, social, civil and political rights. Quoting a Chinese scholar, he said that just as a loaf of bread has higher priority for a hungry person than a bunch of paper of information, the freedom of press has little meaning in a country where most people are illiterate.
Justice Balakrishnan said that India is blessed with various resources, but lacks equal distribution thereof among all its people; otherwise, how else a woman was forced to sell her three little daughters for just Rs. 155/- in Kolkata to buy food. In order to survive, a person must have basic right to food, shelter and clothing. Justice Balakrishnan said that it is consistent endeavour of the NHRC that all the citizens get their economic and social rights. He said that the Right to food and work is now gaining importance as fundamental rights.
He said that the Pune University is a great centre of knowledge and learning, and described his visit to its campus as a pilgrimage. He said that universities and schools could play a major role in spreading awareness about various aspects of human rights.
Speaking on the occasion Prof. W.N. Gade, Vice-Chancellor of Pune University said that there is a need to have social audit of all the social welfare schemes in the country to see why things were not changing on the ground in the remote areas of our country. Why our three pillars of democracy - legislature, judiciary and executive have had not been able to change the mind-set of some people. He said that an institution like the NHRC is best to do this analysis. Prof. Gade suggested that like many other institutions, the NHRC should consider establishing a human rights chair in the Pune University, which has now 22 such professors in different departments doing excellent work.
Noted scholar, Prof. Nand Kishore Acharya said that there is a challenge of aggressive cultural groups threatening development of individuals from other groups. He said that if everything was right about our culture and tradition, there would have been no talk of promotion and protection of human rights. In fact, the concept of human rights in itself is a new culture giving direction to human life.
Several prominent speakers including, among others, senior journalist, Mr. Achyutananda Mishra, former Secretary, Sahitya Academy and noted litterateur, Prof. Indranath Chowdhary, Registrar, University of Pune, Dr. M.L. Jadhav, Hindi litterateur, Arunesh 'Neeran', the Head, Department of Law, University of Pune, Prof. (Dr.) T.S.N. Shastry, former Secretary, Government of India, Mrs. Veena Upadhyay, Joint Secretary (Trg.), NHRC, Mr. J.S. Kochher, also addressed the seminar on different aspects of the human rights. Dr. S.K. Shukla, Assistant Director (O.L.), NHRC who coordinated the seminar, highlighted its significance.