Reforming human rights

The concept and practice of human rights is the hallmark of any modern society. Since times immemorial, the story of human rights has been the story of human wrongs. The book provides an Indian perspective to the issue of Human Rights. It highlights the development of institutional mechanisms in India, reflecting the genuine social desire to uphold human dignity while facing the challenges of nation building.

The most potent challenge to human rights in India has been the demon of terrorism, which raised its ugly head through the brazen assistance given by our neighbour Pakistan through its intelligence agency ISI, also partially abetted by the forces of fundamentalism, insurgency and even the Naxal extremism. Thousands of innocent lives have been lost in states like Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, North East and a few others.

The author has dwelt at length on the violations and violators of human rights on the Indian scene. The state terrorism, precautions against misuse of powers by police and para-military forces, need to remove the death penalty as it militates against right to life, human rights of prisoners, social equality and rights of the backward classes including SC, ST & OBCs, rights of women and violence against them; right of the child & child labour and the rights of the disabled have been dealt with at length. At the end some practical conclusions have been reached. The book will be of tangible use to students, activists and policy-makers of human rights.