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Hans India
02-08-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
NHRC seeks action taken report on caste-derogatory village, locality names across India
In a significant move aimed at upholding constitutional values of equality and dignity, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued notices to the Department of Posts and the Principal Secretaries of Urban Development and Panchayati Raj Departments across all States and Union Territories, calling for a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) regarding the continued use of caste-indicative and derogatory names for villages, localities, settlements, and streets across the country. The matter was brought before the NHRC through a complaint dated July 10, 2025, and considered by the Commission on July 28. The complainant had raised serious concerns about the persistence of offensive nomenclature that reflects caste-based discrimination. The Commission noted that such names violate the constitutional ideals of equality and human dignity, and contribute to the continued social stigma faced by the Scheduled Castes, even after over 7 decades of Independence. Taking cognisance under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, a Bench presided over by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo directed the issuance of a formal notice. The Commission emphasised that the NHRC is empowered under the Act to investigate such matters with the authority of a civil court. The NHRC stated: 'The complainant has urged that such names be reviewed and renamed, as they are offensive and contrary to the constitutional ideals of equality and human dignity.' The Commission also cited several key legal and administrative references to support its directive. These include a 1990 circular from the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment instructing all governments to discontinue the use of the word 'Harijan', and a 1982 Ministry of Home Affairs directive banning the use of both 'Harijan' and 'Girijan.' States like Odisha, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, Punjab, and Kerala have already taken steps to enforce constitutionally-appropriate terminology. Further, the NHRC highlighted the Supreme Court's 2017 ruling in Manju Devi vs. Onkarjit Singh Ahluwalia & Others, which observed that caste-referential terms such as 'Harijan' and 'Dhobi' could constitute social insult or abuse. The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, particularly Section 3(1)(u), also criminalises the use of caste-based slurs, naming terms like 'Chamar', 'Bhangi', and 'Mehtar' as punishable offenses. The Commission also referenced a 2024 Supreme Court order in a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) directing the government to consider removing casteist terms such as 'Chamar', 'Kanjar', 'Chuhra', and 'Bhangi' from official records. In its directive, the NHRC has asked all concerned authorities to compile and submit a list of towns, villages, panchayats, and other public spaces that still carry caste-indicative or derogatory names. It has also requested a report on the measures being taken to rename or remove such terms. The deadline for submission is four weeks from the date of notice. The Commission aims to address systemic discrimination embedded in geographical and administrative nomenclature, and to ensure that public spaces reflect the values enshrined in the Indian Constitution.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
NHRC asks govt to ensure all elderly prisoners are covered by health insurance scheme
This is an AI- generated image used for representative purposes NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission has issued directions to the director general (prisons) of all states and Union Territories to ensure that all eligible prisoners of 70 years or above should be registered to be able to get the benefit of the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Vaya Vandana Yojana - the govt's health insurance scheme for senior citizens. The Ayushman Vaya Vandana Yojana is an initiative to provide free healthcare coverage to senior citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of their economic status. This scheme comes under Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and provides annual health cover upto Rs 5 lakh. A bench of the NHRC presided by member Priyank Kanoongo has now directed that the jail authorities must facilitate all the eligible prisoners to enroll them on the portal of the scheme. A letter has been sent out to states on Thursday communicating the directions. An action taken report along with the number of prisoners linked with the scheme has been sought within four weeks. The directions follow a complaint that was placed before the bench where the issue of making the scheme accessible to the senior citizen prisoners was raised. Noting that this is a 'valid issue', the commission said that going by the spirit of the govt 's flagship health insurance scheme it is clear that it does not exclude anyone as long as the person qualifies the eligibility criteria of 70 years or above. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Live Update: The Strategy Uses By Successful Intraday Trader TradeWise Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola 'It is also pertinent to mention here that a person under the custody of the state continues to enjoy the fundamental right to health, and it is the responsibility of the State to ensure proper healthcare for all inmates,' it is stated. To emphasise its point, the commission highlights the Supreme Court's assertion in a particular case to say that even the top court had emphasised providing for proper medical aid to inmates as a right under Article 21 of the Constitution. In the communication sent out to states it is cited that the Supreme Court held in that particular case that 'it is bounden duty of the state to look after health of the inmates in the jails since they cannot take treatment on their own and for the purpose of treatment, they are at the mercy of the hospital authorities. Proper medical aid to the inmates is a right available to them under Article 21 of the Constitution.
Hindustan Times
14-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
NHRC orders Raj govt to submit report on Udaan scheme irregularities in 4 months
Jaipur: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed the Rajasthan government to submit a report within four months on alleged irregularities in the Udaan scheme, an initiative by the Women and Child Development (WCD) department that provided free sanitary napkins to girls and women. In a letter to the WCD secretary, the NHRC said the commission had received a complaint that the Rajasthan government's Udaan scheme has been non-functional since September 2024 due to administrative delays, and as a result, over 1.23 crore beneficiaries have been denied access to the essential service. 'This interruption poses a serious violation of women's fundamental rights to health, hygiene, and dignity. The allegation made in the complaint prima facie seems to be serious violations of the human rights of the victims,' the letter read. A bench of the NHRC, presided over by Justice Priyank Kanoongo, ordered the Rajasthan WCD department to 'get the allegations made in the complaint inquired into and submit a report within four weeks of receiving the Commission's notice.' According to officials from the WCD department, the Udaan scheme, which receives about ₹290 crore annually, has been completely halted since September 2024 due to a delay in the tender process between the Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) and the WCD. Under the scheme, launched in 2021, the Rajasthan government have distributed sanitary napkins to over 1.23 crore girls and women every month through 99,776 centres across the state. 'Each beneficiary receives 12 napkins per month,' an official from the WCD department said. The highest distribution was recorded at Anganwadi centres in 2023, which catered to 95.58 lakh women, followed by upper primary, secondary, and senior secondary schools with 23.05 lakh beneficiaries. Additionally, 2.38 lakh college students under the commissionerate of college education and 23,961 women under the department of Social Justice and Empowerment also received the benefit. Also Read: Scale up efforts on menstrual hygiene awareness in schools: Delhi HC HT reported in April that the WCD had written a letter to RMSCL saying, 'The last purchase order under the Udaan Scheme was issued by RMSCL in July 2024. Since then, no new supply orders have been issued by RMSCL to the respective beneficiaries. As a result, based on the estimated demand from July 2024 to March 2025, there has been no supply of sanitary napkins, leading to a nine-month supply gap.' 'Due to the lack of sufficient storage space at distribution centres and the risk of stock deterioration from oversupply beyond the beneficiaries' monthly needs, it has been decided to consider the possible supply gap from July 2024 to March 2025 as a reference point. Accordingly, keeping in view the earlier demand submitted by the department, it has been decided at the appropriate level to obtain the supply of sanitary napkins from RMSCL for the first schedule of the new financial year 2025–26, as per the departmental plan and district-level requirements,' it added. The department has initiated the process of collecting demand for the first schedule of the financial year 2025–26. The compiled demand will soon be provided to RMSCL so that purchase orders for FY 2025–26 can be issued based on the new demand under the departmental scheme.
Hans India
14-05-2025
- Hans India
MP: Hindu girl students sexually exploited, says NHRC
Bhopal: Member of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Priyank Kanoongo said on Wednesday that Hindu girls were being deliberately targeted and sexually exploited in Bhopal. Kanoongo's comments came against the backdrop of a high-profile racket of an alleged nexus of love jihad in Bhopal that was busted a few weeks ago, wherein nearly half a dozen girls students of a private engineering college complained that they were sexually exploited by a group of the Muslim community. He informed that upon receiving information, a team of NHRC arrived in Bhopal to investigate the matter, adding that the NHRC team would carry out an investigation for two days in Bhopal. He said that half a dozen victims have complained, but the number of victims is expected to increase. 'NHRC would request the victims and their parents to come forward to lodge complaints, while their identity would not be revealed. We had received the complaint, and a preliminary investigation revealed that Hindu girl students were being targeted and were being sexually abused. The accused persons not only sexually exploited them but also videographed, served intoxication and forced them to convert their religion,' Kanoongo told IANS. Kanoongo further stated that there are several aspects on which an investigation need to be done, adding that the NHRC team would make the entire thing very clear in the next two days. Meanwhile, he also questioned on Bhopal Police, saying what surprising that the local area police station was located hardly 500 meters away from the college, but the police did not take any action. "Crime was operating in the city, but the Bhopal Police was sitting quietly. I also have doubts that some evidences were destroyed by the police during their investigation. We will investigate it thoroughly and come out with a concrete report in the next two days," he added. Notably, after the shocking incident came into the fore a few weeks ago, the Madhya Pradesh government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of senior police officials to investigate the matter. So far, five accused have been arrested for allegedly raping girl students by hiding their identities and blackmailing them by making videos. The main accused in the case, Farhan Ali, was arrested on May 3 in Bhopal.
The Hindu
03-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
NHRC writes to Odisha DGP and Chief Secretary in matter related to KIIT Nepalese student suicide case
The National Human Rights Commission has written a letter to Odisha's Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) over the issue of a Nepalese student who was found dead at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Bhubaneswar. Earlier, NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo said that the organisation has taken cognisance of the death of a Nepalese student at KIIT. 'We will take further action after the report comes, if needed, our team will go there,' said Mr. Kanoongo. Speaking about the previous incident where another girl student was found dead on the KIIT campus, Mr. Kanoongo said the university administration tried to suppress the issue. 'During our investigation, it came out that the student was sexually assaulted, pornographic content was filmed, and then she was blackmailed. When the girl complained to the college administration, instead of informing the police, the university administration tried to have a compromise and suppress the issue. Prima facie, the university administration was the culprit, so we asked the UGC to take strict action, as the environment was not conducive there,' he said. In response to the tragedy, the University Grant Commission (UGC) has constituted a four-member fact-finding committee under the chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Nageshwar Rao, to look into the recent alleged suicide deaths at committee will examine the circumstances surrounding these incidents, ensure compliance with student welfare and safety regulations, and suggest measures to prevent such incidents. The committee also includes Shashikala Wanjari, Vice-Chancellor of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), and HCS Rathore, Former Vice Chancellor of Central University of South Bihar, Gaya, as a member and Sunita Siwach, Joint Secretary of UGC as the coordination officer, according to a statement from UGC on Friday. Earlier in February, Prakriti Lamsal also died by suicide at the same university.
