Seeking clarity on human rights (Opinion)
- Amnesty International seeks clear commitment from all prime ministerial hopefuls from political parties on human rights in its 14-for-2014 charter
- Charter aims at addressing all issues of human rights violations in by asking political parties 16 questions and answer to them on the subject
- Questions are on legal prohibition of torture, abolition of death penalty, decriminalisation of homosexuality, punishment for marital rape, law for migrant labour
- Asking question on human rights issues in an election year is said to determine depth and direction of Indian democracy
- Capital punishment citing ‘rare of rarest’ cases may not always be justifiable
- India, a signatory to 1994 Declaration of Free and Fair Elections of Inter- Parliamentary Union, is committed to protect rights & interests of people
- Election 2014 is time for political parties to renew pledge on rights, interest of people in their respective manifestos
- For sponsors of extremist left-wing violence and far-right purveyors of ideologies of hate there is a lesson in the charter to engage in dialogue with political parties
Exams Perspective:
- Amnesty International
- Human Rights
- 1994 Declaration of Free and Fair Elections of Inter- Parliamentary Union
- 14-for-2014 charter