Thiruvananthapuram: The Working Group on Human Rights in India and the UN (WGHR) has called for enacting legislation to protect RTI activists from harassment and attacks. It also sought the withdrawal of the retrograde amendments to the whistle-blower protection law and its expansion to protect RTI users.
The joint stakeholder’s report on India’s overall human rights situation that was released recently demanded the amendment or repeal of the provisions of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act 2010 (FCRA) that restrict the freedom of association in violation of India’s international human rights obligations.
It may be recalled that the WGHR was established in January 2009 by a group of civil society organisations and independent experts working in the field of human rights in India.
The report called for enacting the Bill on the prevention of communal and targeted violence that was approved by the previous government in 2013.
It said that a national policy should be formulated for the dignified reparation of all individuals acquitted in terror-related cases.It wanted the repeal the Habitual Offenders’ Act, 1952 and the Prevention of Begging Act 1959 for de-criminalisation of the notified tribes.
Another recommendation is to promulgate a national right to housing law to end homelessness, evictions, segregation and ghettoisation and to formulate a national land reform Act ensuring land to the landless, especially SC/ST and women. The report also suggested increasing the public health budget to five percent of GDP.
