“The values of democracy are interlinked with human rights. Along with raising voice against civil rights violation, we will have to create awareness about civil rights among people,” said Professor M.N. Karan, former Director A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies. He was addressing a symposium on ‘Human Rights – Situation & Challenges’ organised by Bihar chapter of Association for Protection of Civil Rights (APCR) on 14 December 2014 at A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna.
Syed Akhlaq Ahmad, National Coordinator, APCR, opined that the Constitution of India promises justice, equality and liberty to all but facts and figures show that it is rarely practised. There are 384000 prisoners in Indian jails, 66 per cent of them under-trials. Among these, 2000 under trial prisoners are those who are behind bars even after the passage of 5 long years. Eighty-three crore people of India are still surviving on less than Rs 20 a day while India stands on the 4th position of the world billionaires list.
Adv Ramchandaran of Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) expressed that our judicial system has failed in providing speedy justice for people.
Mahendra Yadav of National Alliance of People’s Movement (NAPM) said, “Victims of Forbesganj Police Firing are still waiting for justice after three years of their struggle.”
The others who addressed the symposium included Dr. Khalid Ahmad, Mithilesh, Dhananjay Sinha, Lalan Gaur, etc.
The Symposium was presided over by Ahmad Ali Akhtar, a social activist, and coordinated by Mahendra Yadav. Zahid Karim, Convenor APCR Bihar, expressed the words of gratitude to the guests and the audience.