Human Rights Commission report reflects grim scenario in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh Human Rights Commission in its report for the year 2016-17 has slammed the state government for not only dillydallying implementation of the commission’s recommendations but also not being able to ensure maximum benefit of its schemes to common man and the poor.

“Government has formulated significant schemes for education and health to people from children to the old and from economically weaker section people to backward but benefit of the schemes doesn’t reach each and every needy…It is imperative (on government) to ensure benefit of the schemes up to the poorest in society”, said the report signed by the then acting chairman of the commission Veerendra Mohan Kanwar.

“Anganwadis has been working from 1975. If every of the Anganwadi children had got nutritious food malnutrition would have been almost eradicated. A large number of complaints are received regarding quality of food at anganwadis and mid day meal. In a way it is violation of rights of children to health and life. Anganwadis were not set up at several places despite their existence on the paper”, says the report.

As per the report about 200 recommendations made by the commission were pending with the government during the year.

“Some of departments excessively delay action on the commission’s recommendations which result in delay in relief to the victim. Most of complainants are from extremely poor section but different departments excessively delay compensation amount to even them. Whereas energy department amended its rule at the commission’s recommendations to give compensation amount (to the aggrieved), jail and police departments refuse to give compensation to kin of the deceased despite the Supreme Court’s judgment to the effect”, says the report.

Giving specific examples of human rights violation the commission report says a 2-year-old child died in Vidisha in 2016 as the amount of money required for the treatment was not sanctioned. Similarly, a girl in Sidhi district suffering from cancer complained at various levels in the government that her father had not been getting salaries, hence her treatment was stopped but none of the authorities made any effort to ensure her father got the salary. Later, she died. It was her brother’s application and MP Human Rights Commission’s efforts that the father could get his full salary. “Sensitivity has degenerated to very low”, commented the report.

Social activists Ajay Dubey and Rolly Shivhare raised a serious question against the government’s intention in protecting human rights as they say the government doesn’t want a full-fledged chairman at the commission. Expenses on the commission structure from tax payers money are sheer wastage.

Rolly said the magnitude of human rights violation could be gauged from a gang rape victim’s plight in Bhopal who and whose father to make rounds of police stations for 12 hours to get the FIR lodged.

Revenue minister Umashankar Gupta who has been home minister of the state said Human Rights Commission had its important place and the government always tried to implement its recommendations looking into its merit and demerit. But sometimes it was also seen that all the facts were not reported to it. In Madhya Pradesh government was always serious in ensuring there was no violation of human rights in the state.