Security forces have key role in protecting human rights: Union minister

Security forces have an important role in protecting human rights, in addition to discharging their duties, Union minister Nityanand Rai said on Thursday. Addressing an event organised on the occasion of Human Rights Day, he said the Centre has given high priority to the welfare and development of the weaker sections of the society.Security forces have an important role in protecting human rights.

Security forces have an important role in protecting human rights, in addition to discharging their duties, Union minister Nityanand Rai said on Thursday. Addressing an event organised on the occasion of Human Rights Day, he said the Centre has given high priority to the welfare and development of the weaker sections of the society.

''Security forces have an important role in protecting human rights. In addition to discharging their duties with full courage, the security forces are also showing utmost sensitivity towards the rights of the citizens,'' Rai said while addressing the event virtually. According to a home ministry statement, Rai, the Union minister of state for home, said not only the rights of the weaker sections can be protected when they are aware of their rights, but their grievances can also be addressed.

He said the role of the local panchayats is very important in the promotion and protection of human rights and hence, efforts have been made to empower these rural bodies. The minister said during the coronavirus pandemic, the Centre ensured the right to food of every person through the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana so that no one would go hungry. Apart from this, wages have been increased under the MGNREGA for the empowerment of the workers in rural areas, he said, adding that the Centre has directly transferred money to the bank accounts of the migrant labourers affected by COVID-19 through DBT to ensure that their rights are protected.

Appreciating the work done by the National Human Rights Commission for the promotion and protection of human rights and referring to the people's belief in the panel, Rai said it has played its role as a quasi-judicial watchdog without fear and favour. Strengthening of human rights at the grassroots level is the collective responsibility of the society, the minister said.

In his address, Member, NHRC, P C Pant said 2020 has been very tough for humanity globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This has required a cohesive response from the public healthcare system as well as the general public, he added.

The success of the public healthcare system's response in dealing with this grave situation depends on how deep-rooted the country's fundamentals for respecting human rights are, Pant said. Rai said this is the time to reaffirm the commitment that human rights should form the basis of all state policies. PTI ACB RC