Members urge government to ban fake Human Rights panels

Puducherry, Sep 19: Members cutting across party lines today made out a strong case in the Puducherry assembly that government should ban "self-styled" Human Rights organisations in the Union Territory which were started only to "extract money" by intimidating private individuals and others.

Raising the issue Om Sakthi Segar (AIADMK) said there were self-styled human organisations functioning in Puducherry which were started only to intimidate the industrialists and others to extract money. He said in neighbouring Tamil Nadu only one government recognised organisation was functioning.

But in Puducherry there was `full liberty for anyone to float a Human Rights committee` and the purpose was to extract money with threats that they would face criminal action, he charged.

Former Health Minister E.Valsaraj (Congress) said a massive employment generating port project in Puducherry, sought to be launched by the previous Congress government, could not be taken up because of certain "fake organisations"` intervention.

He said had this project been started in keeping with its genuine objectives, Puducherry would have benefitted. AIADMK Legislature party leader A Anbalagan said `fake human rights committees or organisations` were holding the people to ransom with threats and in one instance a person committed suicide because of the intimidation by an unauthorised and unrecognised human rights committee.

The government should ban such organisation, he said. P.Angalan and P M L Kalyanasundaram (ruling AINRC) also wanted the government to deal with such 'spurious' committees with a firm hand. A.Namassivayam (Congress) said there were instances of fake organisations preparing forging title deeds and obstructing the registration of documents by persons selling or buying properties with genuine documents.

Leader of the Opposition V.Vaithilingam said whenever the functionaries of Human Rights organisations withdrew complaints against any individuals or institutions they should be asked to provide reasons and should also be proceeded against.

Criminal action should also be launched against office bearers of the organisations if their complaints were found to be false, he said.

Replying to members` views, Chief Minister N.Rangasamy said as many as 43 organisations were functioning as champions of human rights in Puducherry "None of them has been recognised by the government," he said adding government would ensure that there was no room for people being intimidated or held to ransom.

PTI