New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent notices to the Kerala government and the state police chief over reports of killing of several political workers in the state.
The NHRC has observed that difference of opinion and healthy criticism are integral part of a multi-party democratic political system, but "bloodshed in the name of political and ideological differences is neither ethical nor acceptable in a civilized society".
The commission has asked the state government, through its chief secretary, and the director general of police to take effective steps to stop such killings, and has sought detailed response from the two in four weeks, the NHRC said in a statement today.
"The brutal killing of the party workers are indicative of growing rivalry among the workers of different parties and the poor state of law and order situation in the state of Kerala. There is an urgent need to curb the ongoing violence which amounts to violation of the right to life of the victims," the rights panel said.
The NHRC said that though the matter was already before it, still, in view of the gravity and sensitivity of the matter and after "finding no apparent improvement in the situation", it again took suo motu cognizance of the situation.
The commission had, on January 25, taken cognizance of the matter on the basis of a media report on the gruesome killing of the RSS and BJP workers in Kerala.
It had called for a report from the chief secretary, along with the specific information on whether any relief had been granted by the state government to the victims or their families. The report is yet to be received, the NHRC said.
A detailed report had been received from the Kerala police chief, saying only members of any particular party are not being murdered or attacked in the state but in some political issues, members of all parties have been attacked, the NHRC said in the statement.
Upon perusal of the report, the commission had on June 12 directed the DGP to submit a list of such cases.
The commission said it also registered a case on a complaint of Kummanam Rajashekaran, the BJP state president.
He had specifically mentioned incidents of vandalizing the state BJP office at Thiruvananthapuram and the killing of an RSS worker. The commission had on July 31 directed for an on-the-spot inquiry by its own team, the NHRC added.
Atrocities against dalits on rise in Kerala: NCSC
A top official of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Thursday said cases of dalit atrocities were on the rise in Kerala.
Nearly 1,000 cases of atrocities against Dalits - including 155 rape cases and 12 murder cases - had been reported in the state since June last year, NCSC vice-chairman L. Murugan said.
He added that the panel was closely monitoring the situation in Kerala and would review it again next month.
"The crime records of the Kerala government say nearly 1,000 cases (of dalit atrocities) were registered between June, 2016 and April, 2017. As many as 155 rape cases, 12 murder cases, cases of custodial death and suicide, in which the victims were Dalits, have been reported during the period," said Murugan.
He was talking to reporters after visiting the families of RSS worker Rajesh, who was allegedly killed in Thiruvananthapuram on July 29, and Vinayakan, who allegedly committed suicide in Thrissur district last month, following alleged police torture. Both were Dalits.
"The commission plans to carry out a statewide review, headed by its chairman Ram Shankar Katheria, in the second week of September," said Murugan.
He said the commission, the members of which arrived in Kerala yesterday, had taken up the cases of Rajesh and Vinayakan suo motu (on its own).
Condemning the killing of Rajesh, Murugan said the deceased's family believed there was a conspiracy behind the incident.
"The family suspects that people from outside the district were also involved in the killing," he added.
Murugan also said the NCSC had directed the Kerala home secretary, principal secretary of the SC/ST development department and state police chief to file a case under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in connection with the killing of Rajesh.
He added that in addition to the financial assistance provided to Rajesh's family from the Victims' Welfare Fund, the state government should also pay a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to his next of kin.
It should also pay a Rs 25 lakh compensation to the next of kin of Vinayakan, said Murugan.
Rajesh (34) was hacked to death by a gang, allegedly led by a historysheeter.
The police have arrested 11 persons in connection with the RSS worker's killing.
(With inputs fom PTI and IANS)
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