MHRC woes

IMPHAL, Jul 15 : Acting Chairperson of the Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) Khaidem Mani has categorically stated that MHRC is often neglected by the State Government.

Addressing media persons at the courtroom of MHRC today, Mani continued that the State Government must allot an IAS officer whose rank is not lower than a Secretary to the MHRC but the same has not been done for the past 23 years.

After much pressing, one former Deputy Commissioner of Imphal East was sent to MHRC but the officer too was transferred on May 31 last and another another IAS officer was appointed as the Secretary of the Commission, he said and claimed that the newly appointed Secretary, however, is yet to show up at the office of the Commission.

This is the grim reality that the Commission has been totally neglected by the State Government, K Mani said and added that he alone has been running the office of MHRC as a one man army in the interest of the people.

Saying that he will take up legal actions against even the Government if there is evidence of them indulging in wrongful activities, K Mani continued that MHRC has carried out a campaign "Need for reforms of police in Manipur" in seven districts of the State viz Imphal East, Jiribam, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, Bishnupur and Churachandpur.

Maintaining that SPs of the seven districts and junior officers took part in the campaign, he added that a similar campaign will also be conducted at Ukhrul for three days from July 18 onwards and the grievances of the people wll be heard.

He also said that the MHRC has already submitted its report for 2020-21 to the State Government and the same should have been discussed at the Assembly in August last year.

Continuing that the State Government never produced the report of MHRC for 2020-21 for discussion in any of the sittings of the Assembly which again is a validation of the Government undermining the human rights commission, K Mani said that the State Government is unlikely to discuss the annual report of MHRC for 2021-22 too.

Further stating that the MHRC must at least have four divisions - Administrative, Law, Investigation and Research and Analysis Divisions with 30-40 staff in each division, K Mani said that the MHRC, however, has only about 30 staff at present and as such people don't take the Commission seriously.

K Mani said that there are many which he wants to take up pertaining to fertilizer, PDS rice and others but the staff of MHRC is too limited even to take suo motu cases of all these issues.