Mangalore: Indian society fundamentally unequal: Salil Shetty of Amnesty International
Pics: Meryick D'Silva
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MD)
Mangalore, Jan 8: "People do not know what human rights are. If anyone feels injustice being done in society, that is called denial of human rights. In India, it is not only about developing, it is also about the right to education, food, economic and social welfare,” said Salil Shetty, secretary general, Amnesty International, London.
Delivering a talk on 'Human Rights Movement' at Bertrand Russell High School, Baikampady here on Tuesday January 7, he said, "Every human being is born free and equal. We have many powerful laws, but the fact is India is fundamentally based on an unequal society. Human rights remain hidden within geographical boundaries. Public service in these areas for the poor is required to provide education and food, but for the rich everything is provided in private,” he rued.
"If you see the rich people today, they do not go to police stations. The whole police department itself will be at their home. Poor people do not have any other option. They have to go to the station. Police do not listen to the poor people. There is proof of criminals being killed in fake encounters, of those fighting for human rights being killed. Many activists have lost their lives, and many are being tortured. Women of this country are being treated as second class citizens. India's position in human rights at the international level is not at all good. Our own domestic track record is not clean. We are building a membership-based freedom movement group and already more than 20,000 plus members have signed up. If we all work together, we can make a huge difference,” added Shetty.
He also expressed his happiness on coming back to his hometown and thanked the school lecturers for taking the initiative in teaching children who do not have much resources.
T S N Murthy, IRS, deputy chairman, NMPT, addressing the gathering, said, "I have some feelings for the school that has invoked curiosity in me. I was a school teacher earlier. Knowledge is everything in this world. By our actions we can transform ourselves. Women play a very important role in the world. For instance, we must look at our own family where a mother is everything to her child. If a woman is educated, then the whole world is educated.”
"From the time I came to Mangalore in 2010, every day I see rape cases and murders in newspapers. There are people who are living below the poverty line. We can prevent all these things if we all join together. Today, if you look back at the Delhi elections, a common man defeated the politicians. It is all about the common man. He has got all the power,” added Murthy.
When Salil Shetty visited the school, Mahesh Shetty Timarody, president of Praja Prabhutva Vedike along with Sowjanya's parents Chandrappa Gowda and Kusumavathi submitted a memorandum to him and pleaded with him to help them get justice.
Amritha Shetty, social activist, V T Rajshekar, founder and editor of ‘Dalit Voice’, AICC member P V Mohan and others were present.