Kharge dissociates himself from process of selection of NHRC chairperson, members

PTI, Jun 2, 2021, 8:35 AM IST

Kalburagi: Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi dissociating himself from the process of selection of the new chairperson and members of the National Human Rights Commission.

During the meeting of the Appointments Committee for the appointment to the post of chairperson and members of the National Human Rights Commission held on Monday evening at the prime minister’s residence here, Kharge placed on record his views on the committee’s decision to recommend a panel of names for the selection to the post of chairperson and members of the NHRC.

”I had reiterated in today’s meeting my concern over the rise in the cases of atrocities on Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities and proposed that at least one person belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Minorities be recommended for appointment either to the post of Chairperson under Section 3(2)(a) or a member under Section 3(2)(c)or a member under Section 3(2)(d) to the National Human Rights Commission from amongst the existing list of candidates.

”I also pointed out that appointment of the Chairperson or a member to the NHRC cannot simply be ignored on the pretext that there is no specific provision to this effect in the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and amendments made. Obviously there cannot be any bar to appoint either Chairperson or member to the NHRC on this ground,” he said in his letter.

Alternatively, the Congress leader proposed that if this is not feasible, the meeting may be postponed for a week and reconvened bringing before the Selection Committee the names of some candidates from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and minorities so that one of these could be recommended for the appointment either for the post of chairperson or member of the NHRC.

”Since the Committee did not accept any of my proposals, I express my disagreement with the recommendations made by the Committee in regard to appointments to the posts of Chairperson and Members of NHRC,” Kharge said in his letter to the prime minister.