Dinesh Kamath's Editorial 'Do things without violating the laws' that was published in Newsband

Do things without violating the laws

Young Christine Mehta who was researching human rights for Amnesty International (India) in Kashmir was deported by the Indian government in November 2014. Ms. Mehta joins a list that includes film-makers and journalists. This proves that the government of this largest democratic country wants no news other than what it endorses. It was Amnesty that campaigned for the freedom of some of the stalwarts of the anti-Emergency movement who are now with the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the same organisation that deported Mehta.

The truth is that no Government is perfect. There are million things that need to be improved. A government elected to govern a country has to work within the parameters of the existing laws. We may like the laws or we may have a contrary view. But as long as we are within the geographical area governed by the laws we need to obey it, like it or not. If we have an opinion - contrary to the law, we may petition the government to change it. We can invite all persons involved in Legislature to promulgate New Laws, review & amend existing laws - but at no stage should incite undue negative opinion against the officials for implementing the laws.

Our liberal thinkers should review their ideas before expressing. In the present case Ms Mehta is portrayed as well-informed about the laws of India but deliberately continued to violate it for two long years. She wrote a sob-story in this paper. Would she dare to do it in New York ?

The Amnesty International India criticises India and has observed that it has neglected international obligations and its own constitution by ignoring human rights violations allegedly carried out in the name of national security in Jammu and Kashmir state. The London-based rights group is based on the examination of nearly 100 cases of alleged human rights abuses by security forces between 1990 and 2012 and interviews with 58 family members of the victims in 2013. Amnesty International just applies western norms to developing countries, without realizing the constraints and ground reality. Thanks to Indian army, Kashmir has not become as violent as neighboring Pakistan & Afghanistan. The human rights violations in Kashmir are no more than in other states of India and much less than in Pakistan. Kashmir is ruled by democratically elected government which depends on army's help to counter fanatic terrorists.

It is easier said than done in dealing with human rights violations in India or for that matter all over the world. The universal declaration on Human Rights has just remained on paper without any legal remedy or actions against the perpetrators. Why should India alone re-set its tolerance levels when the whole world behaves like a silent spectator to so many violations?

But if you look from another angle, one wonders as to why the NDA is getting so intimidated and defensive. Human rights violation needs to be curbed and the only way out is by acknowledging that it exists. This is the problem with third world countries, be it Sri Lanka or Pakistan or India. We commit excesses and expect the World to watch and keep quiet about.