Capacity building programme on human rights concludes at Coimbatore
It was organised by NHRC and Tamil Nadu police
About 45 Tamil Nadu and Karnataka police officers attended
In seven specially designed lectures, they were sensitized by eminent experts
on various aspects of human rights
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), India has been organising
human rights awareness programmes for sensitisation of All India Services
officers including IAS, IPS, and IFS officers. In the series of such
programmes, the Commission organised a two-day residential capacity-building
programme for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka police officers in Coimbatore from 3-4
October, 2024. It was organised in collaboration with Tamil Nadu Police. In
addition to the inaugural and valedictory sessions, the programme had seven
technical sessions on various aspects of human rights and policing. About 45
police personnel including Additional Superintendents of Police (Additional SP),
Superintendents of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspectors General (DIG) rank
attended.
On 3rd October, 2024, NHRC, India DG (I), Ajay Bhatnagar inaugurated it
in the presence of Shankar Jiwal, Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, Devajyoti
Roy, Additional Director General, Karnataka and Shri Joginder Singh, Registrar
(Law), NHRC. He said that the concept of preventive actions by the states
should preside over punitive actions. The idea should percolate to every aspect
of policing. Shankar Jiwal, DGP, Tamil Nadu, praised the innovative concept of
conducting capacity-building training at the zonal level in Coimbatore and
expressed gratitude to the NHRC for organizing such a flagship training
program.
In the first session on the ‘Human Rights and Ethical Dilemmas - A
Practitioner’s Perspective,’ Ajay Bhatnagar highlighted the challenges officers
encounter while balancing their responsibilities in upholding human rights
within the framework of law enforcement.
In the second session, Justice V Kannadasan, Member, Tamil Nadu State
Human Rights Commission spoke about the ‘Human Rights and the Role of Police
Officers’. He highlighted issues including false complaints and the importance
of judicial activism in ensuring justice.
Joginder Singh, Registrar (Law), NHRC spoke in the third session on
‘Various Guidelines issued by the NHRC relating to Policing and Important
Supreme Court Cases’. He highlighted the key areas where the Commission has
issued directions to improve police practices, with a particular emphasis on
human rights violations during investigations, custodial violence, and the need
for transparency and accountability in law enforcement.
Devajyoti Ray, Additional Director General of Police, Karnataka, spoke
on the ‘Infrastructure of Human Rights Complaints Redressing System in
Karnataka’ in the fourth session of the first day. He gave an insight into the
Karnataka State Human Rights Commission's (KSHRC’s) innovative approach to
complaint registration, which includes both an app-based system and a web-based
platform, making it easier for citizens to report violations.
On Day 2, NHRC, India Secretary General, Bharat Lal spoke in the first
session about the ‘Evolution of Human Rights Framework’ He emphasised that
greatness is all about prioritizing others' welfare and highlighted the
police's crucial role in delivering justice and upholding the human rights of
all and particularly those who are most vulnerable. He cited examples from Lord
Buddha and other Indians like Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Ambedkar, Dr Karve, Raja Ram
Mohan Roy, and so many freedom fighters and social reformers who devoted their
whole life for the wellbeing of others. Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr
and many other civil rights activists worked as human rights defenders.
Secretary General Shri Bharat Lal appealed the police officers to be the true
human rights defender.
Rajiv Jain, former Member NHRC delivered a lecture in the second session
on ‘Jurisprudence on Human Rights. He stressed on the importance of protecting
fundamental rights as in Article 21 of the Constitution and referenced landmark
Supreme Court cases, including Sunil Batra and Maneka Gandhi in this regard. He
discussed justice access, female prisoners' rights, and state liability. He
highlighted the critical role of judiciary in safeguarding human rights.
The last session was addressed by Joginder Singh, Registrar (Law), on
the ‘Cases of Human Rights Violations Registered at NHRC in Connection with
Tamil Nadu.’