Foundation stone for Manavadhikar Bhavan laid

On 14 January 2003, the Vice President of India, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat laid the foundation stone of Manavadhikar Bhavan, a building that will house the National Human Rights Commission. Covering a total area of 30918.31 sq.m., the building will have a plinth area of 9467 sq.m., a carpet area of 4899 sq.m. and will have seven stories including the ground floor. The building will involve a total cost of Rs.17.62 Crores and the construction of the building will be carried out by the Central Public Works Department.

Speaking on the occasion, Justice J.S. Verma, Chairperson, NHRC observed that it had always been perceived that the NHRC should have its own premises as this would be in keeping with its autonomous character. One of the most essential requirements for a National Institution was that it should function with administrative and financial autonomy. He said that just as justice should not only be done but seen to be done, so National Institutions should also not only be autonomous but also be seen to be autonomous and independent.

Speaking on the occasion, the Vice President of India, Shri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, stressed the need to ensure the human rights of all and to spread human rights awareness. He said that any government that failed to protect the human rights of the people was not fit to govern.

He then defined the three most important spheres which, he thought, the intervention of NHRC was necessary and would be effective. One of the areas was in respect of the right to food. He said that while Government godowns were overflowing with food grains, people in many states of the country were still dying of hunger. The Public Distribution System (PDS) had totally collapsed and this was adversely affecting the fundamental rights of the poor. This, he said, was because of the rampant corruption prevailing in the country. He recalled that it had been stated that only 15% of the total allotted expenditure for the poor actually percolated down to them, the rest never reached them.

The second area to which he drew the attention of the NHRC was in respect of elementary education. He said that although the right to primary education has been made a fundamental right, people were not being able to exercise this right and this constituted a grave violation of their human rights.

A third area related the right to justice for the poor. The Vice President said that the poor could not even think of litigation, as it was not only time consuming but also very expensive. The right to seek justice through the country had thus been virtually denied to them.

Shri Shekhawat appealed to the NHRC to work towards removing these problems. He stressed the need to take strict measures in this regard and said that not only individuals, but also institutions and governments, had to be held accountable to ensure the rights of all of the citizen of the country.