The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Orient youth to India’s traditions’

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Saturday, May 24, 2008
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‘Orient youth to India’s traditions’

Staff Reporter

Chairman of SHRC inaugurates seminar

‘Human rights is being used as a vehicle of development in all types of aid’
Fact-finding report of the university’s NSS wing on hooch tragedy released

Bangalore: “Awareness to protect human rights has grown to such an extent today that it is used as a yardstick to measure the civilisation of societies, States, regimes and positive laws,” said S.R. Nayak, chairman of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission. He was speaking after inaugurating the national seminar on “Human Rights and Social Harmony”, organised by the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development and Bangalore University’s National Service Scheme, here on Friday.

Mr. Nayak said that human rights were being used as a vehicle of development in every international monetary and humanitarian aid. “The human rights movement has been exercising profound influence among the world community. There is universality about human rights, which make them a common concern for all people across the world,” he said.

Mr. Nayak also said that unless mass poverty and macro-hunger were eliminated, self-respect and human dignity provided, today’s disturbing situation may turn worse. Mr. Nayak said that India was a land of myriad religions, races, beliefs and customs, had a multi-layered history and endless tribulations. “The need of the hour, therefore, is for the youth to be oriented to the rich cultural tradition, history and Constitution of the country. It is realising this that the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, which is an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, has been striving to facilitate the nation’s youth with a conducive environment and tools that will enable them to make the most of their potential to realise their aspirations and build a healthy, vibrant and new India,” he added. Mr. Nayak released the preliminary fact-finding report on the hooch tragedy brought out by the university’s NSS wing. The study was taken up based on the suggestion of the National Assessment and Accreditation Committee.

The report found that most victims and consumers of illicit liquor were from the weaker socio-economic groups and were also habitual drinkers.

The report also found that consumption of illicit liquor had been rampant in these areas for quite some time. However, none of the organisations working for human rights, including Human Rights Commission, NSS and Madyapana Samyama Mandali, had educated the people about the disastrous effects of illicit liquor.

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