Managlore Youth, Cultural Policing and How Sangh Parivar Got Talking of Human Rights

Reports below from The Times of India and daijiworld

The Times of India

Youth on the right track: PUCL

14 Jun 2009

MANGALORE: The youth of Dakshina Kannada have shown great courage by not succumbing to organizations engaged in moral policing in the region,
said thinker and People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) Bangalore unit head Ramadas Rao.

Speaking at a seminar and interaction meeting on 'Human rights and its protection in the changed scenario in Karavali Karnataka,' organised by PUCL here on Sunday, he said the courage shown by the youth in Mangalore in opposing the heinous acts of moral policing conveyed a strong message to society.

Kamath who spoke on 'Cultural Policing- What strategy to follow,' shed light on the social effects of the activities being undertaken in the name of cultural policing. Quoting from the Indian Constitution, he said such activities were a violation of fundamental rights. Further, it would defeat the aspirations of the architects of our Constitution like B R Ambedkar who wished that democratic values should be the foundation for the social, political and economic growth of free India, he added.

Analyzing the role of organizations and individuals involved in moral policing activities, Kamath said such acts curb the rights of women their right to decision making.

In his address, Pattabhiram Somayaji, lecturer, University College, expressed concern over the real issues pertaining to the lives of common people, downtrodden and poor being sidelined in the wake of fight against communalism. He said the agenda of communalist forces also includes plot to divert the attention of the secular and pro-people organizations from other issues.

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Minority in India is Prime Victim of Human Rights Violation – Nagari Babayya

Pics: Prajwal Ukkuda
Daijiworld Media Network- Mangalore (RS)

Mangalore, Jun 14: The Sangh Parivar had started to raise the issue of human rights after the Malegaon incident, which was heard only from the minority sections earlier, said human rights activist Nagari Babayya, He was talking on “Human Rights and its Protection in the changed scenario” an interactive discussion organized in the city today by People’s Union for Civil Liberties.

“In India the minorities are the prime targets of human rights violations. Therefore the voice against human rights violation was heard only from this section so far. But after the Malegaon incident and the arrest of Sadhvi Pragya, the Sangh Parivar has begun to raise the issue of human right violations”, he pointed out.

Taking a dig at the two major political parties - the Congress and the BJP, Babayya said whichever political party comes to power it is not interested in protecting the human rights. Both these major parties are faces of the same coin. People need to bring together political parties which are interested in protecting the interests of the common man, he added.

Ramadas Kamath, human rights activist from Bangalore said the self styled moral police of Mangalore have given a death blow to our culture by resorting to violence against women and children. Women are respected in our country and attacking them is against our culture, he stated.

The discussion was held at Fathima Retreat House in Valencia and various human rights organizations and intellectual cream of the city participated in the discussion.

P B D’sa, District President of PUCL presided over the session. Laxminarayan, Vice president of the state committee and human rights activist Pattabhirama Somayaji also spoke on the occasion.