Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said human rights are as important as duties of a person and both should be given equal treatment.
Addressing the NHRC Foundation Day at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, Mr Modi said, “If someone is politically filtering the rights, he is wrong. Those who are selectively choosing or practicing these rights are wrong. It is dangerous for democracy and dents the reputation of the country. We have to be aware of such people. There are instances, for some people particular human rights and values are right if they believe so, while the same rights are not for others.
“This event is organised at the time when our country is celebrating its 75th year of freedom. For India, Human Rights and Values are derived from our struggle for Independence. We have struggled for so long for basic human rights and independence. During a time when the world was struggling with World War, our nation taught the world non-violence. People of this country stood by this ideology for thousands of years and it stayed with us at the time of Independence. Even now, it is the same,” he added.
The Prime Minister elaborated on rights of different people. He said, “Injustice was earlier meted out to women. Today, a lot of sectors are opened for them. It is being assured that women work freely in a safe environment. Women are getting 26 weeks maternity leave. Safe and legal way of getting abortion is introduced for them. New fast track courts have been formed. Besides, nearly 700 websites, bus, train, currency notes have been introduced for blind people. Recently, the country’s first Sign language book and online facility was provided to lakhs of disabled children. For Transgenders, protection of rights law was introduced. All these efforts have a big role to play against curbing the violation of rights of citizens.
“Now when a poor gets a toilet, he feels dignified. A poor man, who was never able to think about debit card, when he gets a Rupay card, his dignity rises. For decades, Muslim women were protesting against Triple Talaq. We made a law to ban Triple Talaq. All these efforts have a big role to play against curbing the violation of rights of citizens. One nation one ration card facility is introduced so that whereever they go, they are not deprived of ration. Today, the country’s farmers are not dependent on others for money and loan. Farmers are farming at a record-breaking level,” he added.
Speaking on the occasion, Home Minister Amit Shah said, “In the last 28 years, NHRC has solved more than 20 lakh cases and awarded Rs 205 crore as compensation. Whether custodial death or rights of a worker, or people who belong to ST/SC, NHRC has done a successful job and I believe this effort will go on. When Mr Modi was elected as the Prime Minister for first time, he had a primary aim towards Human Rights.
“It had never happened before in the history of India what happened in these seven years. Crores of women got public urinals, women from 13 crore families got gas cylinders. We have within five years, completed the task of providing people clean drinking water. Houses have been given to two crore people and the plan is underway for five crore people. Sixty crore people have been facilitated with medical plan worth Rs five lakh. Our government has helped in protecting the lives of 60 crore Indians with the aim of protecting the Human Rights,” he added.
